Jay M. Haymond
Utah History Encyclopedia
The so-called Dream Mine is located east of Salem in Utah
County. The mine founder, John H. Koyle, was born August 14, 1864
at Spanish Fork, Utah County. He married Emily Arvilla Holt 9
December 1884. They had four son and three daughters. At about age
twenty-two, Koyle experienced a dream about lost livestock and
other domestic matters. Gradually he became known as a visionary
man. He grew to dream about a wide variety of subjects, including
world affairs. Many of his predictions came true and earned him a
following of faithful admirers.
His membership in the Mormon Church led him to serve a mission
in 1888 to 1891 in the Southern States Mission. His dreams
continued and he was known as a missionary with prophetic
abilities. Following his missionary service, Koyle returned home to
his wife and family to resume farming.
In August 1894 he experienced a dream in which he was visited by
a figure from another world. The visitor carried him to a high
mountain east of Koyle's house and into the mountain, showing him
the various strata and explaining the meaning of the minerals. The
visitor showed Koyle an ancient "Nephite" mine with large rooms of
mined-out ore bodies. The rooms contained treasure and artifacts of
an extinct civilization. Koyle was instructed that he was to open a
mine and extract gold for the welfare of "his" people. Specific
instructions were given for the mine development leading to rich
ore bodies. The riches would be found and released to him and his
followers during a time of world crisis. The wealth would be spread
to others through Koyle and the people organized around the mine.
In this way the name "Relief Mine" was attached to the project. The
heavenly messenger made it known that the wealth would not be
available for "self gratification." The dream was repeated for a
total of three times. Koyle talked of his dream to friends and
others for support. In 1909 the Koyle Mining Company was formed
with 114,000 shares of stock issued at $1.00 per share.
Koyle's dreams continued. He predicted the First World War and
the economic crash of October, 1929. He foresaw "horseless
carriages" bigger than railroad cars going down the road at great
speeds. He especially received instruction on how to develop the
mine. Plans included air shafts, escape ways and drainage tunnels.
Instructions came to build a processing mill and storage bins for
grain. By 1910, Koyle was appointed bishop of the Leland Ward in
Spanish fork. The mining activities closely coupled with his church
work attracted attention from the Mormon Church leaders. Apostle
James E. Talmage, a geologist by training, came to look at the
Dream Mine claims and could find no evidence that precious metals
would ever be found in the strata being explored. The Mormon Church
spoke out against the Koyle mine and associated activities and
released John H. Koyle from the bishopric. However, Koyle's ongoing
success as a seer and visionary continued to attract supporters and
money, including some members of the Mormon Church leadership.
Koyle was getting a mixed message from the Church. For a time,
Koyle moved some members of his family to Idaho to pursue farming
and while there Koyle was appointed to another bishopric as a
councilor, but released when the Mormon leadership learned of the
appointment. He continued to attract opposition from the Church for
the rest of his life. He negotiated a repudiation of his claims, in
1947 and then reversed himself almost immediately and was
excommunicated from the Church 18 April 1948. John H. Koyle died 17
May 1949 in Payson.
The mine continued in fits and starts under the leadership of
Quayle Dixon for another twenty-three years. In 1961, a new
company, The Relief Mine Company, succeeded the Koyle Mining
Company and continued to do the minimum $100 per claim annual
assessment work. Little more can be said about the often promised
Koyle Dream Mine.
See: Norman C. Pierce, The Dream Mine Story, Salt
Lake City, 1972.