HISTORY OF MESA
(William Franklin Openshaw)
Born in Spring Lake, Utah County, Utah, on September 24, 1869. Son of Samuel and Esther Meleta Johnson Openshaw.
Until he was fourteen years old the family lived at Spring Lake where Franklin enjoyed fishing, swimming and working along with the other boys.
When he was old enough to attend school his father was his teacher.
The family came to Arizona in the Fall of 1883. Everything made an impression on the boy. A remarkable memory of early scenes in the little towns of Phoenix, Mesa, and Tempe, make his information valuable.
Franklin remembers the two story lumber hotel on the south side of Washington Street, in Phoenix. This was called the Greggory House. The Lemon Hotel was a low rambling affair. The Court House was built of adobe.
About the first real work Franklin ever did after the family settled in Tempe was hauling hay for Charles Hayden. He and his two brothers would haul ten loads a day for which they received fifteen dollars. This was taken out in store pay for the use of the family, and was all eaten up, so he says.
He helped build the Normal school at Tempe, then afterwards attended it. He also worked on other school buildings in Tempe, and on the Asylum.
When the first railroad bridge was built across Salt River at Tempe Franklin helped to drive the pile. He used to work on the thresher, but as he was a good cook his services in that line of work was most needed.
In 1889 he was working as a cook for the threshing crew. The noon meal was ready and he went down where the men were at work. He and another boy met down in the shade by the Boiler. It exploded and blew his eyes full of ashes and gravel. He tried to scramble away and scalded his hands and arms in pools of boiling water. Someone took him to a ditch. He got into it and tried to bathe his burning face and eyes until he felt the skin dropping from his hands and breast. A doctor was summoned who said he could not live an hour. Took a pound and a half of flesh off his left arm.
When he did not die as predicted then the doctor said if he lived he would never have any hair and would be horribly scarred. This prediction failed as did the other for he has a beautiful head of hair and there is not a scar on his face. Neither his father or brother were at home so he was taken to his uncle Franks where he was tenderly cared for and nursed back to life.
The terrible accident occurred Jun 29th and in September he was taken to Salt Lake City Utah to Dr. Romania B. Pratt. After that time it was thought that the sight in one of his eyes might be save. When the doctor made a thorough examination he found that there was no hope of his ever being able to see.
When asked to describe his feelings at that verdict, he said that could not be done.
Fate had been cruel. Only nineteen, a strong healthy boy, full of ambition, of ideals and dreams of a successful future. Now blackness so dense as to be indescribable. How he longed for death. The thought of dependency was almost more than he could endure.
The expression of pity for his misfortune was unbearable. He didn't want sympathy. He wanted to be left alone.
Wise friends and relatives pointed out to him that life still held beauties, and soon he learned that now that they must come from within - not without.
He stayed in Utah until that next fall then returned to Mesa.
In the fall of 1893 and 1894, his friends in Mesa and Maricopa Stake sent him to school in Lansing Michigan. There he learned piano tuning and the making of brooms. He took a special course in literature. He loved the violin and it was a great comfort to him.
He remained in Lansing for two years then began working his way westward. He worked in Denver and then in Provo and Payson Utah and on to California. He had gone to Lansing alone and came back unattended. With his bag of tools he felt he could make his way. When he reached Merced, Cal., he only had fifty cents left. He went to a hotel and ordered a two dollar room. He didn't know how he was going to pay for it. He had met a cattle buyer who insisted on paying for his breakfast. This same man found a piano teacher and introduced them. She found so many pianos that needed tuning that he made enough money to get home on.
Frank did not do much until 1896, when he met a professor Miller, a phrenologist. He became interested in that science and wanted to go away and study it. His brother helped him get the necessary means to go east again. He went to Toledo Ohio and spent two years going from house to house selling tea, coffee and spices. He then went to New York and graduated from Fowler and Wells Institute of Phrenology.
He traveled a great deal in the east and south selling his ware and tuning pianos.
Romance found little place in Franklins heart until he was about thirty-eight years old. Then his sister played the part of cupid. She had a charming friend who lived in Monroe, Utah. Her father was well to do, she worked in his store when she felt like it. She was an actress of no small ability and took part in everything that came along in her home town, and was a general favorite.
Frank had been busy accumulating news. He had seven hundred colonies of bees. There were two thousand acres of alfalfa belonging to the Chandler Co. that the bees had access to.
Franks sister knew that he needed a wife, so told him of her dear friend Elisa Magleby. Got him interested in her; maneuvered the whole love affair and the first thing these two lovers knew they had met for the first time and to be married. He went to Salt Lake City, Elisa met him there on the 15th of October 1907 and they were joined together as one.
Frank sold his bees and bought a forty acres vineyard in North Evergreen, Mesa. He had a grocery store and was in that business for four years. By now he had bought fifty-seven acres of land, twenty acres of which were in grapes and fifteen in alfalfa. For sometime the Openshaws lived in town and Frank went back an forth directing that work.
Shortly after her arrival, Eliza was selected to work as a councilor to Fannie Dana in the Mutual Improvement Association. This she held until the reorganization of the Stake Relief Society. Mary Clark was chosen as president of that organization and knowing of her faithfulness, selected Eliza as her first councilor. In that office which she held for about nineteen years, Eliza traveled hundreds of miles. She was never too busy to attend to her duties and was ever a moving spirit in the efficient organization. In due time a baby was born to these two. A son to carry on and take the place of his father. Was ever a child so welcome. Pride of his loving mothers heart and virtually the apple of his father's eye. Though as only child, Carlyle was not spoiled. Every advantage was given this beautiful child who early sensed the responsibility that was to be his. He often assured his parents what he intended to do for them when he got big. When he was seventeen Carlyle was a manager of Piggly Wiggly store in Mesa, thus early showing unusual ability along business lines.
He was a mutual leader and peace maker. Whatever he said was law to his associates as he spoke as one having authority. He was loved by young and old alike. He always went out of his way to be kind and considerate to everyone.
Time passed and the boy grew and developed. At last he was nineteen. Just the age his father was when he lost his eyesight. That was a terrible tragedy, but now something worse happened to Frank. His son was snatched from him by deaths grim reaper.
Only a sublime faith in the wisdom and providence of a divine creator sustained these poor bereft parents who clung even closer together for comfort.
They are carrying on. The Openshaw vineyard is probably the largest in the state. The grapes are the earliest and of the choicest varieties and are shipped to all the largest cities in the United States.
Franklin Openshaw is a man of commanding appearance. His low gentle voice bespeaks refinement and understanding. His sightless eyes see many beauties now beheld by those of outer vision.
He says there has never been a better partner than his faithful wife and as they go along together hand in hand no one would ever suspect that life had been as cruel to them but with it all they have a multitude of friends who love them for their sterling worth. Fifty years of complete darkness have passed. Each month for the last thirty-one years a monthly paper printed in what is called New York Point has come to his home free gratis. In Lansing he learned to read this and during all these years the magazine has brought him joy, inspiration, and helped him keep abreast of the times.
We close this brief sketch of him with a tribute from his sister Rose who says, "He is a man with a rare store of intelligence. His sense of humor is contagious. When things get so bad the others are ready to give up, he laughs about it and encourages them to keep on for the fight will soon be won."
Until he was fourteen years old the family lived at Spring Lake where Franklin enjoyed fishing, swimming and working along with the other boys.
When he was old enough to attend school his father was his teacher.
The family came to Arizona in the Fall of 1883. Everything made an impression on the boy. A remarkable memory of early scenes in the little towns of Phoenix, Mesa, and Tempe, make his information valuable.
Franklin remembers the two story lumber hotel on the south side of Washington Street, in Phoenix. This was called the Greggory House. The Lemon Hotel was a low rambling affair. The Court House was built of adobe.
About the first real work Franklin ever did after the family settled in Tempe was hauling hay for Charles Hayden. He and his two brothers would haul ten loads a day for which they received fifteen dollars. This was taken out in store pay for the use of the family, and was all eaten up, so he says.
He helped build the Normal school at Tempe, then afterwards attended it. He also worked on other school buildings in Tempe, and on the Asylum.
When the first railroad bridge was built across Salt River at Tempe Franklin helped to drive the pile. He used to work on the thresher, but as he was a good cook his services in that line of work was most needed.
In 1889 he was working as a cook for the threshing crew. The noon meal was ready and he went down where the men were at work. He and another boy met down in the shade by the Boiler. It exploded and blew his eyes full of ashes and gravel. He tried to scramble away and scalded his hands and arms in pools of boiling water. Someone took him to a ditch. He got into it and tried to bathe his burning face and eyes until he felt the skin dropping from his hands and breast. A doctor was summoned who said he could not live an hour. Took a pound and a half of flesh off his left arm.
When he did not die as predicted then the doctor said if he lived he would never have any hair and would be horribly scarred. This prediction failed as did the other for he has a beautiful head of hair and there is not a scar on his face. Neither his father or brother were at home so he was taken to his uncle Franks where he was tenderly cared for and nursed back to life.
The terrible accident occurred Jun 29th and in September he was taken to Salt Lake City Utah to Dr. Romania B. Pratt. After that time it was thought that the sight in one of his eyes might be save. When the doctor made a thorough examination he found that there was no hope of his ever being able to see.
When asked to describe his feelings at that verdict, he said that could not be done.
Fate had been cruel. Only nineteen, a strong healthy boy, full of ambition, of ideals and dreams of a successful future. Now blackness so dense as to be indescribable. How he longed for death. The thought of dependency was almost more than he could endure.
The expression of pity for his misfortune was unbearable. He didn't want sympathy. He wanted to be left alone.
Wise friends and relatives pointed out to him that life still held beauties, and soon he learned that now that they must come from within - not without.
He stayed in Utah until that next fall then returned to Mesa.
In the fall of 1893 and 1894, his friends in Mesa and Maricopa Stake sent him to school in Lansing Michigan. There he learned piano tuning and the making of brooms. He took a special course in literature. He loved the violin and it was a great comfort to him.
He remained in Lansing for two years then began working his way westward. He worked in Denver and then in Provo and Payson Utah and on to California. He had gone to Lansing alone and came back unattended. With his bag of tools he felt he could make his way. When he reached Merced, Cal., he only had fifty cents left. He went to a hotel and ordered a two dollar room. He didn't know how he was going to pay for it. He had met a cattle buyer who insisted on paying for his breakfast. This same man found a piano teacher and introduced them. She found so many pianos that needed tuning that he made enough money to get home on.
Frank did not do much until 1896, when he met a professor Miller, a phrenologist. He became interested in that science and wanted to go away and study it. His brother helped him get the necessary means to go east again. He went to Toledo Ohio and spent two years going from house to house selling tea, coffee and spices. He then went to New York and graduated from Fowler and Wells Institute of Phrenology.
He traveled a great deal in the east and south selling his ware and tuning pianos.
Romance found little place in Franklins heart until he was about thirty-eight years old. Then his sister played the part of cupid. She had a charming friend who lived in Monroe, Utah. Her father was well to do, she worked in his store when she felt like it. She was an actress of no small ability and took part in everything that came along in her home town, and was a general favorite.
Frank had been busy accumulating news. He had seven hundred colonies of bees. There were two thousand acres of alfalfa belonging to the Chandler Co. that the bees had access to.
Franks sister knew that he needed a wife, so told him of her dear friend Elisa Magleby. Got him interested in her; maneuvered the whole love affair and the first thing these two lovers knew they had met for the first time and to be married. He went to Salt Lake City, Elisa met him there on the 15th of October 1907 and they were joined together as one.
Frank sold his bees and bought a forty acres vineyard in North Evergreen, Mesa. He had a grocery store and was in that business for four years. By now he had bought fifty-seven acres of land, twenty acres of which were in grapes and fifteen in alfalfa. For sometime the Openshaws lived in town and Frank went back an forth directing that work.
Shortly after her arrival, Eliza was selected to work as a councilor to Fannie Dana in the Mutual Improvement Association. This she held until the reorganization of the Stake Relief Society. Mary Clark was chosen as president of that organization and knowing of her faithfulness, selected Eliza as her first councilor. In that office which she held for about nineteen years, Eliza traveled hundreds of miles. She was never too busy to attend to her duties and was ever a moving spirit in the efficient organization. In due time a baby was born to these two. A son to carry on and take the place of his father. Was ever a child so welcome. Pride of his loving mothers heart and virtually the apple of his father's eye. Though as only child, Carlyle was not spoiled. Every advantage was given this beautiful child who early sensed the responsibility that was to be his. He often assured his parents what he intended to do for them when he got big. When he was seventeen Carlyle was a manager of Piggly Wiggly store in Mesa, thus early showing unusual ability along business lines.
He was a mutual leader and peace maker. Whatever he said was law to his associates as he spoke as one having authority. He was loved by young and old alike. He always went out of his way to be kind and considerate to everyone.
Time passed and the boy grew and developed. At last he was nineteen. Just the age his father was when he lost his eyesight. That was a terrible tragedy, but now something worse happened to Frank. His son was snatched from him by deaths grim reaper.
Only a sublime faith in the wisdom and providence of a divine creator sustained these poor bereft parents who clung even closer together for comfort.
They are carrying on. The Openshaw vineyard is probably the largest in the state. The grapes are the earliest and of the choicest varieties and are shipped to all the largest cities in the United States.
Franklin Openshaw is a man of commanding appearance. His low gentle voice bespeaks refinement and understanding. His sightless eyes see many beauties now beheld by those of outer vision.
He says there has never been a better partner than his faithful wife and as they go along together hand in hand no one would ever suspect that life had been as cruel to them but with it all they have a multitude of friends who love them for their sterling worth. Fifty years of complete darkness have passed. Each month for the last thirty-one years a monthly paper printed in what is called New York Point has come to his home free gratis. In Lansing he learned to read this and during all these years the magazine has brought him joy, inspiration, and helped him keep abreast of the times.
We close this brief sketch of him with a tribute from his sister Rose who says, "He is a man with a rare store of intelligence. His sense of humor is contagious. When things get so bad the others are ready to give up, he laughs about it and encourages them to keep on for the fight will soon be won."