TOQUERVILLE — When pioneers first started settling an area near Ash Creek in Southern Utah, they were befriended by Native Americans who called themselves Toqurat, or Toquit, ancestors of today’s Southern Utah Paiute tribe.
Their leader, Chief Toquer, would give name to the town that is now known as Toquerville, founded in 1858.
Descendants of one of those early settlers, Levi Savage, recently donated a statue of their relative more commonly known from the movie “17 Miracles,” which can be seen at Toquerville’s city hall.
The movie is based on the Willie Handcart Company experiences from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints pioneers following a late-season start and a treacherous winter journey in 1856.
In 1858, Savage moved to Lehi and worked as a supplier for the U.S. Army at Camp Floyd. He helped colonize several towns in northern Utah, such as Lehi, Holden and Scipio.
In 1865, church President Brigham Young sent Savage to Kanab, where he built the first house by pioneer settlers. In 1866, Savage moved to Toquerville, started a farm, raised a family and contributed largely to the growth of Southern Utah for the last 45 years of his life.
“They traveled 23 miles to St. George on horseback frequently for church conferences, attending the temple, paying taxes, taking care of business and visiting the children in school,” according to the Washington County Historical Society. “Frequent company for meals and stopping overnight was a definite part of their lives.”
In 1885, at 65 years of age, Levi was arrested by U.S. Federal Marshals for “unlawful cohabitation.” He was fined $300, served six months in the Utah Territory Penitentiary and was released March 29, 1888.
Possibly one of his largest contributions to today’s society was his pen. Savage kept a diary for more than 50 years of his life, through one of the most told handcart stories in Mormon history, while helping establish new towns farm life until his death.
In the movie “17 Miracles,” Savage is portrayed by actor Jasen Wade, a graduate of Southern Utah University. Many of the stories told in the movie come from Savage’s personal diary.
The diaries have also given historians a glimpse into life in the western United States in a time before the country was united coast-to-coast.
Former Toquerville resident Rex Jensen said the statue of Levi Savage that has stood in front of city hall on Main Street was a gift to the city from descendants of the local legend.
Ed Smith and Dave Lyon, both residents of Las Vegas, proposed the idea, donated the funding and asked Jensen if he would make the arrangements.
“Dave is descended from Levi Savage and so is Ed Smith’s wife,” Jensen said. “They knew the family’s history and really felt the need to do something to honor their heritage.”
Originally planned to be constructed in the Toquerville Cemetery, plans were changed to have it constructed in front of city hall.
“The mayor, Justin Sip, made that happen,” Jensen said. “He wanted the sculpture right in the middle of town with all the other town monuments.”
Sip and approximately 50 town residents, roughly 30 descendants for Savage, attended the dedication in May 2023.
Southern Utah mason Randy Paul built the statue’s base out of steel, concrete and sandstone. Annette Whitaker Everett, who earned her degrees in art education from Brigham Young University, University of Utah and the Art Academy of Cincinnati, sculpted the bronze statue.
A statue of St. George resident Juanita Brooks is just one of many Everett has featured in Southern Utah.
The Sandman, a life-size monument dedicated to the volunteers of the floods of 2005 stands in St. George’s Town Square. And The Volunteer, a life-size monument honoring volunteer firemen, currently stands at the Santa Clara city offices.
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