The Ogden's (with their trunk) pack up and find a new home

William took his three oldest sons, James (26), Thomas (22), and William (17) and travelled to the Sevier Valley to reconnoiter the area.  They were accompanied by Wm. Orrock and his brother-in-law Steven Theobald.  When they arrived they found considerable discussion in the area about building a new town near where Central is today.  To irrigate the land it was proposed that a new canal be built to carry water to the town site and fields that would soon be developed. 

It seemed a great plan and the men were anxious to be part of the planning and building of the new town.  They returned to Santaquin, discussed the news with the rest of the family, and made the decision to make Central their new home.  The men returned to secure property while Mary wound up their affairs in Santaquin and packed the trunk.  However they would soon find that plans and events were not going as well as they thought.

When the men arrived back in Central they promptly acquired some lots in the township on which to build their homes; they also acquired by lottery some farmland between the town and the river. It was then that issues arose that would alter their plans once again.  Some of the settlers in the new town wanted the canal to be constructed below the existing Richfield canal and others thought it best to build above and divert water via a flume.  Disagreement became arguments which became heated contention and bickering; all the while the season of planting grew later.  

Finally the Ogden’s decided that they could afford to wait no longer and made a decision to move to Richfield where there also existed opportunity, but with a more harmonious population.  Much of the land there had previously been cultivated before the evacuation and now had to be cleared off again and prepared to plant.  Once more each of the men was desirous of having their own lot for a future home and they acquired such lots in the south west quarter of the town; adjacent to each other.

The plan was to work together to first build a home for William and Mary and then to help one another with the construction of subsequent houses.  The necessary tasks were divided up and some made adobes and bricks and worked at construction of the new house while some began to clear and plant land so that a crop might be harvested by fall. The house was a large adobe with two fireplaces located at the corner of 500 South and 200 West.  When the house was ready to occupy, the property in Santaquin was disposed of, and the family was reunited in their new, and hopefully permanent, community.

Thus the Ogdens establish their new home in a new land and a begin a new and exciting era.