MANTI—Barbara Barton, 92, and her cousin William Funk, also 92, both of Manti, are the oldest living descendants of Daniel Buckley Funk, a prominent Sanpete Valley pioneer.

Barton, who grew up in Sterling, and William, who grew up in Manti, did not get acquainted until their teen years at Manti High School because they had attended separate elementary schools. The cousins are now heading a family project to bring recognition to their great-grandfather, Daniel Buckley Funk.

In 2025, the Funk family began planning to replace Daniel Buckley Funk’s pioneer headstone in the Manti Cemetery because the limestone had severely aged. A new granite headstone will include the names of Daniel, his wives Mariah DeMill and Mary Jane Pectol, and his 14 children.

Daniel Buckley Funk, born in 1820 in Montgomery, Pennsylvania, was an original settler in Sanpete Valley in 1849. He met his wife Mariah DeMill in Quincy, Ill., and the couple came to the Salt Lake Valley in October 1848.

Steve Funk, a nephew of Barbara Barton, summarized Daniel’s early history this way:

“Just a year later, Brigham Young called on Daniel’s family to help settle the Sanpete Valley. In the fall of 1849, they moved south and dug out shelters on Temple Hill in what would become Manti, Utah. That first winter was harsh, with snow up to three feet deep. Come spring, they discovered they had camped atop a rattlesnake den. Over 300 snakes were killed, remarkably without a single bite.”

Steve Funk wrote that settling in Sanpete brought conflict with local Native American tribes, but that Daniel worked toward peace and formed friendships with some tribal members. Daniel married his second wife, Mary Jane Pectol, in Manti in 1856.

Steve Funk also summarized Daniel’s contributions to early Manti:

“While raising his family, Daniel contributed greatly to the development of Manti. He built a water-powered mill for grinding grain and crafting furniture, a shingle mill, and a small smelting furnace. He gathered clay for homemade paint and refined saleratus from local sources. He served as town constable and built a block fort to protect settlers from attacks. Daniel also served as a major in the Black Hawk War and helped build the Manti Temple.”

Among the accomplishments the family highlights most is the creation of Funk’s Lake.

“Among all his accomplishments, Daniel’s favorite was creating a recreation area for the Saints,” Steve Funk wrote. “In 1873, he began constructing a large lake in Six Mile Canyon, on land purchased from his friend Chief Arapeen. Over the next two decades, delayed by continued skirmishes and challenges, Daniel and his sons dug out a 75-acre lake bed. They planted shade trees, created picnic grounds, and offered camping, fishing, boating, and swimming. A steamboat even gave rides around the lake for a small fee.”

Known as Funk’s Lake, it later became Palisade State Park. It first served as a fishery and later for irrigation and recreation. Barton said Daniel saw more than a food source in the lake.

“Daniel was a visionary with an entrepreneurial spirit,” Barton said.

Barton said Daniel created a place of recreation and culture in the rural settlement, bringing activities such as dances with live bands, circuses, the Tabernacle Choir and baseball games to the site. Daniel Buckley Funk died in 1888 at age 68.

As the family pursued plans for the upgraded headstone, Barton began considering what should be done with the original marker. She approached the Manti and Sterling camps of the Daughters of Utah Pioneers, and it was agreed the headstone could be moved to the Sterling cemetery as a local relic. A close family member later told her the headstone belonged at Palisade State Park, where Daniel made perhaps his largest contribution.

Barton proposed donating the original headstone to Palisade State Park as a historical marker for the lake’s founder. She presented the idea to Palisade State Park manager Brian Jensen and assistant Jessie Neilson in spring 2025. Palisade staff supported the plan and began working with Barton on a gazebo, information panels and a stone shadowbox for the marker.

Justina Parsons-Bernstein, parks program manager for Utah, has taken on the task of researching Daniel Buckley Funk’s life. She will create three information panels about the engineering and development of Funk’s Lake, and the parks program will donate them.

In March, Jensen applied for a Community Parks and Recreation grant to support construction of the gazebo. A decision on the grant had not yet been made. Barton and Funk family descendants are also raising private donations for the project, which they have named the “Funk’s Lake Legacy Project.”

“I’ve never done anything like this before,” Barton said.

Barton said she has dedicated much of her time to research and community outreach and has received a good response from individuals, businesses and municipalities across Sanpete County. She also credited support from her nephew Steve Funk of Draper, who has worked alongside her in research and fundraising.

“Daniel was not only a builder of this Valley, he was also a builder of this Nation,” Barton said.

Barton said connecting young people with local history is one of the main reasons she has worked on the project. She said she hopes it will build appreciation for local heritage and strengthen ties among Sanpete communities.

As part of the Funk’s Lake Legacy Project, a community legacy event is planned for Aug. 8, 2026, at 11 a.m. at Manti City Park. Organizers said the program will include live music and speakers and will also mark the America 250 anniversary year.

In a letter supporting the Community Parks and Recreation grant application, Rep. Troy Shelley wrote, “This monument would serve as a lasting tribute to the pioneers who lifted themselves and others through hard work and vision. … Your support would ensure that this powerful story of preservation and community uplift is not forgotten.”