1905 effort
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As Junius Wells struggled to erect a monument in honor of Joseph Smith in time for the Dec. 23 centennial, the people in Vermont offered "kindness, goodwill, intelligent help and a willingness to assist."
Brother Wells first visited the birthplace of Joseph Smith in 1894 and was shown the home site. In the spring of 1905, he purchased the Mack farm and then proposed a monument be erected. In July, he received a commission from the First Presidency to do so. Contracts were signed and after a search, a 60-ton piece of stone was found from which the monument, with its 38 1/2-foot shaft, would be made. When the stones were cut and polished in unseasonably warm temperatures for the early winter months, called by the locals "Mr. Wells' weather," transporting became the next challenge.
At first, 22 horses were unable to pull the eight-ton base stone over the muddy road. Brother Wells became so discouraged he wrote a telegram to Salt Lake City. But he did not send it. Instead he used planking, and attached a block and tackle to trees — which often uprooted them. The first load took 13 days to cover six miles, the 40-ton shaft took 20 days, and the capstone just six hours. Rigging to hoist the stones, lost in shipping, arrived in time to complete the task by Dec. 8. The monument was remarkably undamaged by the trip. (See "1905 Tribute," by Darel P. Bartschi, Ensign, February 1988, p. 7.)
