The McCune family and Nephi, Utah will always be connected.

In 1900, at the turn of the century, some of the most rich and influential names in America were J.P. Morgan; Wm. Randolph Hearst and Vanderbilt. However, the history books fail to include the millionaire and influential Nephi, Utah man called Alfred Wm. McCune, who became rich and famous at twenty-one. He contracted to build portions of the Utah Southern Railroad, then owned mines in Utah, Montana, British Columbia and Peru. He was born to Matthew McCune while his father was in the British Army, being stationed in Calcutta, India, which was then a part of the British Empire. While in India, Alfred and his wife Elizabeth joined the LDS religion in 1857, and came to Utah to join other new converts. They were first directed to Farmington, then settled in Nephi, Utah. I wasn't sure why I had so many McCune documents until I found a marriage between a Jones and McCune which occurred during pioneer times. Sena Jones married Thomas McCune and  we found a letter from August, 1902, showing Thomas McCune "took a large herd of sheep to Trinidad, Colorado to sell them for .50 cents a head in 1898". After Alfred McCune made a few million, he built the "McCune Mansion" near Capitol Hill in Salt Lake, and lived there until 1920. Although his wife was active in the LDS Church, Alfred was more of a giver of money, then church attender. As such, he donated his mansion to the LDS church, with the hope that LDS President-Heber J. Grant would live there. President Grant thought that was a little too much, so the church turned it in to the "McCune School of Music". Through the years it has been with different owners and used as the Salt Lake Center for BYU; Cultural Center; Dance School, and I recall going there for a wedding reception, and couldn't resist exploring each of the rooms of that palace. Alfred's wife was well known throughout the world; active in women's rights issues in 1899; entertained by Queen Victoria at Windsor Castle, then held high ranking positions in the LDS church. To my knowledge the first history book about Juab County was written by Alice Paxman McCune, and she supplemented her documents by interviewing some of the elderly people throughout Juab County including my grandfather. One of our photos should be of her home, which is now surrounded by foliage. In the 1950's, she had a beautifully kept rose garden on the west side of her home. It was there, she taught this lad how to pluck weeds from that garden without removing the soil. Her son was James P. McCune and his home was up and around the corner and the present owner keeps it as manicured as it was when Jim lived there, building it similar to the southern mansions where his wife was from. Other McCune business ventures included the Bailey-McCune store, which was on main street and visible with the photo taken from the Post Office steps of years ago. Early McCune's operated the McCune-Read ranch at Mills, and at times there was 30 ranch hands working with cattle, sheep and horses and Sena Jones McCune often cooking one mutton a day for their grub. If you go to the Nephi City Cemetery, in the northwest corner, you will see several two foot stone sentinels which surround and watch over the 44 McCune's graves, which include Church leaders;Doctors; Attorneys, Judges and military titles of Corporals; Captain's, Majors, and Colonels. Although there may not be the name of McCune in the Nephi or Mills phone book, the McCune's and Juab County are still one for all and all for one. And if you know the Juab High School song, you now know the words were written by James P. McCune, and the music by Alice P. McCune.