Joseph Barker and Mary Ann Doidge Barker Dunton
(Continued)

On September 9, 1884, a branch of the church was established in Mancos and James Harvey Dunton was set apart as Presiding Elder. On July 5, 1884, the first Relief Society in Mancos was held and Mary Ann was assigned as secretary. She also served as President of the Relief Society in Mancos from May 1891 until November 22, 1892. Kate said, "Mother taught school in Mancos for a while. School was held in the church and Mother rode sidesaddle on a horse called ‘Old Yellow’ to and from school."

A book called A History of Montezuma County which includes the picture above, says, ". . .in 1883, the whole Mancos valley, Mormons, Gentiles and all, met at the old Log School house in Mancos for a big Thanksgiving feast - dinner, supper and an all night dance. . . . Will Wilden furnished the violin music.

"Sentiments for a church building grew and a meeting was called and the suggestion made that a meeting house be built. The call was responded to with a will. Land was donated and work was started at once, although it was the busy season of summer. . . . An effort was made to get the building finished by July 24, 1886 so the annual Pioneer Day celebration could be held there, and so great was the interest and enthusiasm that the building was finished, all but windows and doors, although the time allowed was but a few short days. Nevertheless they held their celebration in the new building. The house was completed before winter so that thereafter they had a comfortable building and plenty of room for any and all meetings.

"This was the first church building erected by and for the Mormons in Montezuma County. Here all church affairs, dances, and social meetings were held. The old building resounded to the noise and music of many a good time as the people made life in the new land merry and decidedly worthwhile. Some time after the first building was completed an addition of lumber was built on making the structure a T shape. This building also served as a school house for a time. The first teacher was Mary Ann Barker Dunton."

The family stayed on the farm in the Webber area near Mancos until part of the land became swampy, then sometime after 1886, James Dunton left them and went back to Utah. Mary Ann, her daughters, and her son, John, moved to Thompson Park in the mountains eight miles northeast above Mancos where Sarah’s husband, Will, had taken up a farm. Will was always a good friend to Mary Ann and offered her part of his land, so they built her a frame house there. In the Park, Mary Ann and her family raised some crops, but mostly Mary Ann made cheese. She had a big tub where the milk was curdled with rennet, then the whey dipped off. The curds were scalded with hot whey, then salted and put in the press overnight, encased in cheesecloth, rubbed with sweet butter, and put up on high shelves in the milk house. Every day the cheese had to be rubbed and turned, and the shelves were kept spotlessly clean. She never had enough cheese to supply her many customers, but every tenth cheese went for tithing. In winter they would move back to their home in Webber.

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