History of Fairfield

John Carson was born November 13, 1819 in Green Township, Wayne County, Pennsylvania. He came to Utah in 1851, settling in Cottonwood. In 1855 he moved to Cedar Valley, settling there and naming the place Fairfield. Here he lived for 40 years until his death, August 22, 1895.

Before the coming of the white man into Cedar Valley, the Tintic Tribe of Indians roamed the hills and valley free and undisturbed. Their chief was Chief White Elk, a big handsome Indian with flashing black eyes and two long braids of black hair hanging down on either side of his face. This tribe of Indians hated the white people. The cheif always had a tomahawk hanging at his belt, and a small Indian boy along to carry his bow and quiver full of arrows.

One day Whie Elk walked boldly into town and handed John Carson a bunch of arrows with a dead rattlesnake attached. This was the Indian's way of declaring war. That night there were many fires burning along the foothills southeast of town. White Elk and his braves were ready for the morrow. A posse of white men rode out to try to make peace and arrest the few Indians who were causing the trouble. The sulky Indians would not talk. George Carson, on his horse, saw an old squaw aim her spear at him and raised his leg to ward off the blow, but her spear struck him in the leg. Suddenly shots rang out and George Carson fell to the ground mortally wounded. He was taken into town in a wagon and laid on the ground on a blanket right where the monument now stands. In just a little while he died. The Indians headed pell-mell for the cave banks near Utah Lake. There they met and killed Washington Carson, a brother of George Carson. And this is when White Elk made the greatest mistake of his life. He and his braves started across the frozen lake. When part way across, the ice began to break. They could not turn back for the posse was on the shore of the lake. Even White Elk could not escape. They saw him go down waving his tomahawk in defiance as he headed for the happy hunting grounds. So ended the Tintic War as far as Fairfield was concerned. Other localities had trouble with the Tintics, but to Fairfield goes the credit of bringing the wild old chief to and end and making the valley safe for future generations. People were happy to go free from Indian worries but great sorrow spread over the little community for the loss of their loved ones - about 100 being killed that day.

 

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