A Productive Pioneer: The Story of John T. Gerber and Early Granger

When people speak of Granger’s beginnings, the name John T. Gerber often comes up as an example of grit and vision. In 1871, John Gerber set out west of the Jordan River, determined to make a home on the dry benchland where few dared to settle. He was the first to claim and homestead land away from the river in what would later become the Granger Ward.

On August 23, 1871, Gerber officially homesteaded the southeast quarter of section 33, township one south, range one west of the Salt Lake meridian. Knowing that water would be the key to survival, he dug a well near the northeast corner of his land. Though the water was brackish, it kept his family going for years.

By September, Gerber began building a concrete house next to his well. He moved his family in that November—just in time for the harsh winds of the Utah winter. The cold was so bitter that dishwater would freeze on the table while they washed up.

Supporting his family required relentless effort. John raised what crops he could by dry farming, shot wild ducks and rabbits, and sold the game in Salt Lake City for twenty to forty cents a pair. His wives, Mary and Eva, helped sustain the family by sewing, knitting, washing, and ironing for others.

In 1872, John hand-watered patches of potatoes, watermelons, and lucern (alfalfa). By 1873, he and his sons extended the local irrigation network, digging a two-mile ditch to bring surplus water from the Bingham ditch. That same year, he planted fruit and mulberry trees—hauling buckets of water from the well to keep them alive.

John’s early years on the bench were not without setbacks. In March 1874, part of his house collapsed when the damp wall froze and thawed. Some neighbors urged him to move, claiming he’d never find enough water for a successful farm. But Gerber stayed and persevered.

In 1873, he suffered a severe accident, losing three fingers in a gun mishap. Despite this, he continued working his land and improving irrigation. In 1876, he built another ditch, connecting to the North Jordan Canal, but water remained scarce until the South Jordan Canal’s completion in 1877.

Gerber’s efforts helped transform barren land into productive farms. By 1877, he was appointed General Water Master for the lower division of the South Jordan Canal, ensuring fair distribution of water for other settlers.

John T. Gerber was also a dedicated church member and community builder. He served as a Ward Teacher when the Granger Ward formally organized in 1884, supported the first local school by boarding its teacher free of charge, and helped record early local history when church historian Andrew Jenson visited in 1894.

Like many early Utah pioneers, Gerber lived through the legal struggles of the anti-polygamy era. In 1887, he was arrested and imprisoned for unlawful cohabitation—a testament to the challenges faced by families like his who practiced plural marriage.

Despite hardships, John T. Gerber’s determination and resourcefulness helped turn Granger’s dusty benchland into thriving farms and homes. His story reminds us that Granger’s roots were built by people who were willing to dig wells by hand, haul water by the bucket, and stand their ground when others doubted it could be done.

3870 S 2200 W.

The Gerber Home - 3870 S 2200 W.