Francis M. Ewell

For a few years, this valley's whole civic life fit on a second floor. Francis Marion Ewell — son of a Mormon Battalion soldier — built a two-story house just west of here in 1882, and its upper room, "Ewell Hall," became the place where the scattered settlers held their church, school, elections, and dances alike. It was in that room that they chose the name Spring Glen for the settlement. The town returned the honor: from 1900 to 1925 it was called Ewell, for the man whose upstairs had held it together. The original well still draws water.

What the plaque says

This monument pays tribute to Frances Marion Ewell and the sturdy pioneers who settled here. Mr. Ewell was born November 3, 1935, the son of William Fletcher and Mary Bland Ewell. William was a member of the famous Mormon Battalion which helped secure the Southwest Territory from Mexico in 1846-47. This made it possible for the L.D.S. Church to settle under the U.S. Constitution in the “Everlasting Hills.” In 1882 Frances Ewell built a two-story house directly west of here. The original well is still in use north of the house. From 1882-1889 the upper floor, called the “Ewell Hall”, was used for all the church, school, political and recreation meetings. It was at Ewell Hall where the town names Spring Glen was chosen. Spring Glen was called Ewell from 1900 to 1925 in honor of F.M. Ewell. Helper was part of Spring Glen until 1891. There, too, the plans of the townsight and Spring Glen Canal Company were first made. The Ewell's oldest daughter, Sarah Ewell Pratt, wife of Helpers founder Teancom Pratt, was the first school teacher in the Ewell home. Mr. Ewell's wife, Frances Mary Weech, sold the farm in 1906 to Baptista Clerico. The Ewell home was destroyed by fire in 1920.

Where it stands

Worth the stop nearby

• Prehistoric Museum at USU Eastern — 5.7 mi
  A small-town museum punching way above its weight in dinosaur science
• Price — 5.7 mi
  A gritty coal mining town with a surprisingly excellent dinosaur museum
• Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry — 26 mi
  The densest concentration of Jurassic-era dinosaur bones ever found

More markers nearby

• Geneva/Horse Canyon Mine Monument — 0.8 mi
• Castle Gate Mine Disaster — 4.2 mi
• Utah's Coal Industry — 4.2 mi
• Pleasant Valley Coal Company — 4.2 mi