Andrew Jenson, Encyclopedic History of the Church…, p.597 (from the Infobases
LDS Family History CD, 1996 edition)
NOUNAN WARD, Montpelier Stake, Bear Lake Co., Idaho, consists of Latter-day
Saints residing in Nounan Valley, about 20 miles northwest of Montpelier.
This valley is about eight miles long from north to south with an average
width of two miles. It is separated from Gentile Valley on the west by the
Wasatch Mountains. Good grain is raised in Nounan Valley, yet dairying is
the principal occupation of most of the inhabitants. Nounan is named after
a Mr. Nounan, a non-Mormon, who spent some time in the valley in an early
day getting out lumber for the Union Pacific Railroad, the timber being floated
down Bear River.
Philemon C. Merrill and son, and another man, came into Nounan Valley with
cattle belonging to William H. Hooper and wintered there in 1873-1874. Brother
Merrill built three log cabins, the first buildings in the valley. John Skinner,
who arrived in the valley in 1875, was the first permanent settler. He was
followed soon afterwards by others. In the spring of 1876 the Paris Coop.
Dairy was established in the center of the valley. Bishop Henry J. Horne
in charge. John Skinner was appointed by Apostle Charles C. Rich to preside
over the saints in Nounan Valley under the direction of Bishop Henry J. Horne
of Paris. On March 9, 1897, the saints in Nounan [p.598] Valley were organized
as a ward with Edgar M. Lindsay as Bishop. Up to that time John Skinner had
acted as president of the Nounan Branch. Brother Lindsay acted as Bishop
until 1917, when he was succeeded by Nephi A. Skinner, who still acted Dec.
31, 1930. On that date the Nounan Ward had 142 members, including 37 children.
The total population of the Nounan Precinct was 174 in 1930.
