Bell-Johnson House

Attention

The object that is described in this article is located on private property. Trespassing is punishable by up to six months of prison time. Permission should be granted before passing on private property.

History

President Brigham Young of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints paid a visit to Richmond in 1860 directing the settlers to bring their homes together and build a fort of protection as Native American and Europeans were battling each other throughout the territory. That same year the settlers brought their homes together and formed Richmond Fort. Many families settled in the fort, including Wallace K. Burnham, who later sold the land to Mathew F. Bell in 1881. The exact year of the homes construction is unknown, but it is likely built sometime in 1875. It is rumored that some of the original logs that made up Richmond Fort was used in constructing the home.

Mathew Francis Bell is an LDS Pioneer from England who moved to Utah with his newly wed wife, Jane Metcalfe. After living in Richmond for many years, beginning in 1861, Mathew married his first polygamous wife Elizabeth Lang. Elizabeth and Jane lived in separate homes, common for the time, with Jane living in this home. After Elizabeth's death in 1902 and Mathew's death in 1904, the property was sold to Heber J. Johnson and wife Jocosa J. Whitehead in 1905. After the purchase, Heber added a rear part to the home for their nine children family. After their deaths in 1935 and 1944, the property was sold to Don Farnes, a farmer and World War II veteran, and his wife Armina J. Farnes. They sold the property in 1947 to Calvin and Edna P. Housley. They deeded the home to their daughters Marilyn H. Hill and Carolyn H. Bright in 1973, then sold the home in 2000 to Chad and Shavon Hill, Chad being Calvin Housley's grandson. The home was then sold in 2006 to Heidi H. Franklin, then in 2010 to Joel Draxler, then in 2017 to Bentley L. and Courtney D. Miles, then in 2022 to the current owners.

The Bell-Johnson Home was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2004 for its "events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history." Areas of significance are community planning and development, and social history.