William Morrow: Granger’s Pioneer Farmer and Postmaster

The Life and Legacy of William Morrow (1841–1919)

William Morrow was born in 1841 in Belfast, Ireland, but his family soon moved to Renfrewshire, Scotland, where William grew up working as a farm laborer. In 1863, he married Mary McFarland, daughter of James and Sarah Mitchell McFarland, in the Established Church of Scotland. In Liverpool, William worked as a fireman aboard ships while Mary supported them as a seamstress. Both William and Mary soon joined the LDS Church and made the bold decision to emigrate to America.

Seeking religious freedom, the family set sail from Liverpool on a sail ship bound for America-with Mary’s younger brother, William Henry McFarland—just 12 years old. The voyage lasted six long weeks. Some days the wind carried them forward for miles; other days, shifting currents dragged them backwards. Margaret suffered severe seasickness the entire way, yet their faith and prayers carried them safely across the ocean.

When they arrived, they faced another trial—crossing the plains by ox team and handcart. They walked until their feet were raw and bleeding, sometimes allowed a brief ride in the wagons. Still, they pressed forward

Their first home was in Millcreek, where William leased a farm. Mary learned early in their marriage that she could not have children. With her blessing, William took her younger sister Margaret as his second wife in 1867. William and Margaret would eventually have nine children together.

A New Life in Granger

In 1873, William and his family moved west into the farming community of Granger They homesteaded 160 acres in Granger. For over forty years, the family lived, farmed, and built their lives on that land, William established a large farm and became known not only for his agricultural work

Granger Postoffice

Along with a home, they also had a small store and post office he ran out of his home. This was one of the earliest commercial enterprises in Granger, and it quickly became a gathering place for neighbors who relied on it for goods and mail.

Mail was not delivered directly to Granger at that time. Instead, William’s daughter, Bertha Morrow Jenkins, was tasked with hitching up a team of horses and driving a wagon all the way to 33rd South and State Street to collect the mail and supplies. She would haul the heavy load back for distribution at her father’s store, keeping the west-side community connected to the wider Salt Lake Valley.

This small store and home post office was more than just a business—it was an anchor in a rural settlement, a place where neighbors shared news, collected letters, and purchased necessities.

Family Challenges

Life was not easy. After the passage of the Edmunds Law in the 1880s, which criminalized plural marriage, William and Margaret were forced to separate. Mary remained with William in the main home, helping to manage the store, while Margaret was moved into a small log cabin on the southeast corner of the farm. Without running water, she relied on irrigation ditches for drinking water and supported her children through laundry work, nursing, and seasonal labor at a nearby pickle factory.

The children, meanwhile, were expected to split their time between working on the farm, assisting in the store, and helping “Aunt Mary” with household work. The store remained central to family life, both a necessity and a responsibility.

Later Years

Mary passed away in 1903, leaving behind treasured temple records of her family that would be preserved through her descendants. William later married Lydia Pearl Weylend, who bore him four more sons before her untimely death in 1903, just weeks after giving birth to twin boys.

Eventually, William sold his farm in Granger and moved to Salt Lake City, settling near 500 South and 700 West. His home was later demolished during the construction of Interstate 15. William outlived all of his wives, passing away in 1919 at the age of 78. He was buried in Millcreek, where his Utah journey had begun nearly fifty years earlier.

Legacy

William Morrow’s life mirrors the story of early West Valley itself—immigrant faith, pioneer farming, plural family complexities, and the blending of home and community life through service. His little store and post office in Granger connected a growing farming village to the wider world, and his children and grandchildren carried on the legacy of hard work and resilience.