Four Stories For Everyone In Silver Creek Valley

Lucy Flake Sees Silver Creek Valley for the First Time

Lucy Flake, in her own autobiography, shares the feelings of her heart. Perhaps few of us feel that strongly about our home community, but Lucy had been through hell in the months she had lived on the Little Colorado near present-day Joseph City. The circumstances were difficult, and then her husband and other men left to search for a new location. Her baby died while William was gone. The sight of a green valley with a stream of pure water was like heaven.

While none of us have experienced precisely Lucy’s problems of life and death in the previous months, each of us can be grateful for the freedom, opportunity, and peace we have because of what people like Lucy and William recognized as a bit of heaven.

He Whistled To His Horse

This story shows the power of persistence and preparation, as well as many other good attributes. Those characteristics were basic to formation of our communities and will be essential to their successful continuation.

James Pearce and his young wife, Mary Jane, were the first permanent settlers in modern times on Silver Creek. They came first to Taylor and then moved on to Shumway.

It was not easy for them to come, and when they got here it was not easy to stay. Their first dugout, imagine living in a hole in the side of the hill with a grass roof, was not adequate so they moved to Shumway and built a new one. It was the best they could do with the resources available. They had nothing. They lived their lives to serve others

Noah Brimhall and the Highway of Ice

This is a story for all of us because, while Noah settled in Taylor, his descendants live throughout the area and are a major source of good in our community. Noah and his group came because they felt called of God, as most of the early settlers did. Many of our modern “settlers” are here because they feel good about our communities, and quite a few are here because they feel God wanted them to come here.

The miracle of the Colorado freezing is just one example of how God helps people of all religions when they are in need and pray diligently. We should all be ready for times in the future when we may need God’s special blessings.

Rancho Rio de la Plata

This story is to remind and educate us about the greatness of Jim Stinson. Perhaps God sent him here to prepare the way for permanent settlers a few years later. His vision of this valley was vastly different from that of the Pearces or the Flakes.

Everyone should understand that he was key to the success of these communities. He did not just sell out and leave. He stayed around to help them and gave generously to many newcomers. He served in the legislature to help establish government in Northern Arizona.

He was the first boy from Snowflake to marry a girl from Taylor. What a tradition to start. The last line of this story says it all about Jim Stinson. What a great example to all of us in so many ways!