Many of my wife’s family came to Carbon County to work in the mines. The Nielson's were farmers from Richfield, Sevier County, Utah, who came to Spring Glen in 1898 and later to Winter Quarters in 190. The Hall's were coal miners from England who came to Winter Quarters in 1904 and the Houghton's, also coal miners from England, came to Castle Gate in about 1905 or 1906. My family came to Winter Quarters a year or two after the explosion. Tommy Hall was the first family member to be killed there. He was killed in 1911. James Nielson (great grandfather) had his hand severely crushed in the mine. But being a part of the white Mormon community, work was found for him. Other nationalities and religions were treated poorly.

The Pleasant Valley ward of the LDS Church was started in about 1880 under the direction of the Sanpete Stake (later this became Carbon County), David Williams was the first Bishop. Thomas J. Parmely was Bishop from 1888 to about 1920. And John L. Parry was bishop until Winter Quarters ceased to exit, about seven years later. While some family members became quite religious and stayed with the Church others lost it when tempted by the many saloons and evils of the camps. T.J. Parmely also served as superintendent of the Winter Quarters mine for twenty five-years. (Joanne Houghton Hyatt's grandmother was a Parmely).