Digging Deep: How John T. Gerber Made the Desert Bloom
John T. Gerber — Pioneer, Inventor, and Early Granger Settler
Born: 1837, Missouri
Died: December 1920, age 83
Early Life
1837: Born in Missouri to Dr. John Gerber and Johanna Sessions Gerber.
1854 (Age 17): The Gerber family immigrated to Utah. Brigham Young sent Dr. Gerber and family to help settle Midway near Heber City.
John did not stay in Midway — he returned alone to Salt Lake City and lived with the Randel family near West Temple, working on their farm on the west side of the Jordan River.
Missionary Service & Marriage
1860–1864: Served a mission to Switzerland and Germany — his father’s native land — leaving “without purse or scrip.”
While in Germany, he converted Anna Mary Ruopp (later spelled Rupp).
After returning, he made four trips across the plains to help bring other immigrants to Utah by ox team.
1864: Married Anna Mary Rupp while crossing the plains — they were married by their wagon train master, Elder Hyde. They arrived in Utah in October 1864.
Second Marriage & Polygamy
1865: While in Salt Lake with Anna Mary to be sealed in the Endowment House, John met Eva, who had just arrived in Utah with her two sisters and had nowhere to stay.
Brigham Young asked John to help the sisters. John, who had permission to practice polygamy, proposed to Eva and received permission for an immediate sealing.
John was sealed first to Anna Mary, then an hour later to Eva.
Settling in Granger
Circa 1870–1871: Moved to the Granger area. In 1871, John officially homesteaded 160 acres at 2200 W. 3875 S.
He and Mr. Todd were among the first to dig ditches from the Jordan River to bring water to the Granger benchlands.
Built two homes on his homestead — one for each wife’s family.
Farming & Community Building
Raised hay, grain, potatoes, cows, horses, chickens, and pigs — but still struggled to support two families.
Dug more wells than anyone in the county to earn extra income and help other settlers get water.
Planted trees and built a pond on his land for recreation — boating, boat racing, teeter-totters, swings, merry-go-rounds, and winter ice-skating.
When the land became too boggy, he worked on drains to reclaim it — and fought grasshopper plagues and harsh winds that even blew his house down two days before one child was born.
Helped construct and expand canals — including proving that water could be brought from the Narrows. He and his sons worked on all three major local canals.
Served as Water Master for the area for many years until his neighbor A.J. Hill stepped in while John was in prison for polygamy.
Other Work & Talents
Spoke and wrote seven different languages.
Learned healing and mechanical skills from his father.
Worked as:
A cook at the Globe Restaurant in Salt Lake City
A cook on the railroad when it was being built into Utah
A gunsmith and locksmith
A tinsmith who mended pots and pans
A well driller across the Salt Lake Valley
Served as an Indian War veteran and helped defend Salt Lake City against Johnston’s Army during the Utah War (1856–1857).
Spent 40 years working on the idea of perpetual motion — always inventing and tinkering.
Polygamy Imprisonment
March 1887: Arrested for unlawful cohabitation during the anti-polygamy raids.
Could not pay the $300 fine, so he served six months in prison. He was also forced to pay $100.
While imprisoned, he used his mechanical skills to:
Improve conditions for other prisoners by digging a better well on prison grounds.
Build intricate toys and trinkets for his children — including a 3-foot-long steamship replica with full details.
Later Life
After prison, John lived only with his first wife, Anna Mary, leaving Eva to manage the second household.
Anna Mary died in 1901; after her death, John and Eva did not reunite. He lived alone for the next 19 years until his passing in December 1920.
He was the father of 16 children, known for keeping them busy with farm chores, gardening, irrigating, hauling hay, and other tasks.
Legacy
Pioneer John T. Gerber’s determination to bring water to barren benchland laid the foundation for the canals and irrigation that made Granger flourish.
His inventive mind, his many trades, and his unwavering work ethic helped shape a community from desert land — a true example of pioneer grit.
John T. Gerber (1837–1920) was more than an early Granger settler — he was a farmer, inventor, gunsmith, cook, well driller, Indian War veteran, and father of sixteen. He spoke seven languages, brought water to dry benchland through canals and ditches, and turned a lonely homestead into a foundation for a thriving community. His resilience through harsh winters, polygamy raids, and the fight for irrigation reminds us that our valleys stand green today because people like him dug wells — and never gave up.
Gerber Home on 2200
