CATHERINE BOW BRIGHTON

 

Catherine was born 9 October 1825 at Torence Campsie in Stirling County, and raised in Edinborough and Anderson. It was in Anderson that William Stuart Brighton first kissed his Catherine (Catie). Catie’s father was Thomas Bow and her mother Janet Forsyth.

 

When William S. Brighton was ill in September 185O, Catherine made two or three trips to see him.  Upon his recovery, Willie said he called on his Sweetheart from time to time, and they were married on the 31st day of December 1850 by Joseph Clements at Glasgow, Scotland. Their voyage, trek to the Salt Lake Valley, and family is included in William's history.

 

There was a mining boom at Alta and Park City, and lots of men traveled back and forth between their places, either on foot or horseback. The Brighton's was a good place to get a meal. Catie was a good cook, and there was always freshly churned butter and nice cold buttermilk, hot buttermilk biscuits, and fresh trout, besides the mutton and beef which she would buy from butlers and herders.

 

The lake was close and there were lots of fish to be caught. Catie, being a good fisherman, always caught plenty. The lake at the time was called Trout Lake, but she changed it to Silver Lake. Anyone seeing the lake as the sun first hits it in the morning can understand why she gave it this name. It gleams like silver spangles.

 

In 1874, the first Brighton Hotel was built. The seven bedrooms were small and the walls were covered with white muslin. The beds were clean and warm. Mrs. Brighton would never allow the help to let the bedding touch the floor while the beds were being made. The Brighton's boarders included some of the most prominent Salt Lake people.

 

A little pier ran out about two boards wide at Silver Lake, which was used to tether boats. William bought his wife a white boat which was a little larger than the others. One winter Jimmy McPherson (a watchman during the winter at the old hotel) made some water wheels to put on Catherine's boat. It enabled her to go anyplace she wished to fish just by sitting and turning the paddles. According to Stella, a granddaughter who went fishing with her, soon after she arrived at her destination, she would drop an anchor (a piece of iron or a rock) tied to a rope over the side of the boat and proceed to fish. She landed her fish in an apron on her lap. Her guests always had fresh trout.

 

Besides Silver Lake, there is Lake Phoebe, Lake Mary, and Lake Martha. A short distance above Martha sits an entirely different lake whose island is of black rocks and its water deep. It has a lofty barren mountain rising from the south. It is a barren sunshine peak to the west. This lake is the highest in that range of mountains. It has a fine sand bar, and one enjoys wading along the edge. It is the only lake not surrounded by trees. It was named after Catherine Brighton. Mrs. Brighton asked the artist Borneman to write her name on a rock. He did, but wrote the German spelling with a "K" instead of hers with a "C."

 

When William was on his mission, he wrote a touching letter to Catie expressing his gratitude that they were able to go to Zion and counseled her, "Now my dear Catie, be sure that you see that prayers are always said in the house while I am absent, and I hope that the Holy Spirit will always be your companion."

 

The summer after the completion of the new Brighton Hotel, Catherine had prepared her husband's lunch and had gone to the pantry for a napkin when she was stricken by a heart attack. She died on July 19, 1894. She was laid on a mattress in a wagon for the last trip down the canyon. Her son, Thomas drove the team. On his way down, he saw a bear cross the road. It frightened him. He stopped the horses and waited for the bear to get out of the way before he dared go on. Her funeral services were held in the 11th Ward on Sunday, July 22.

 

Catherine's death put a crimp in the summer's business, but William Stuart  Brighton carried on with the hotel for the remainder of the season.