The honor of erection of the first home upon the mesa lies with the
Pomeroy family, though it was hardly considered as a house. Logs and
timbers were hauled from the abandoned Maryville, an outpost of Fort
McDowell, at the river crossing northeast of Fort Utah. It was erected
Mexican fashion, the roof supported on stout poles, and then mudded walls
were built up on arrowweed latticing. This Pomeroy residence later was
used as the first meetinghouse, as the first schoolhouse and as the first
dance hall, though its floor was of packed earth. It might be added that
there were many dances, for the settlers were a lighthearted lot. Most of
the settlers re-erected their tents, each family upon the lot that had
been assigned.
The first families on the mesa were those of John H. Pomeroy, Theodore
Sirrine and Chas. H. Mallory. The Mallory and Sirrine homes quickly were
started. Mallory's, the first adobe, was torn down early in 1921.
By the end of November, 1878, all the families had moved from the river
camp upon the new townsite.
Early arrivals included a strong party from Montpelier, Bear Lake County,
Idaho, the family heads John Hibbert, Hyrum S. Phelps, Charles C. Dana,
John T. Lesueur, William Lesueur, John Davis, Geo. C. Dana and Charles
Warner. Others, with their families, were Charles Crismon, Jr., Joseph
Cain and William Brim from the Salt Lake section. Nearly all of the
settlers who came in the earlier days to Mesa were fairly well-to-do,
considered in a frontier way, and were people of education. Soon, by
intelligence and industry, they made the desert bloom. Canals were
extended all over the mesa. In 1879 was gathered the first crop of
cereals and vegetables and that spring were planted many fruit trees,
which grew wonderfully well in the rich, light soil.