Homesteads and Harmony: The Story of Abraham and Ann Todd

The Todd Family of Granger: Pioneers of Faith, Farming, and Community

Abraham Todd and Ann Tofts Todd stand among the respected early settlers who helped shape the farming heart of Granger in Utah’s Salt Lake Valley.

Abraham Todd was born on May 5, 1836, in Forncett St. Mary, Norfolk, England, to Anna Moriah Moore and John Todd. Raised in a family of tenant farmers and sharecroppers, Abraham learned early the value of hard work and careful stewardship of the land. By age 14, he was tending the gardens at Tassburgh Rectory. Later, after moving to London, he earned a living as a professional gardener — skills that would serve him well on the American frontier.

Ann Tofts Todd was born on February 1, 1835, in Bishop Stratford, Hertfordshire, England. She came from a respectable family and took pride in her skills as a homemaker. In her twenties, Ann moved to London — likely to work in service or domestic work — where she met Abraham. The two were married at St. Andrew Church in London on May 3, 1863.

Soon after their marriage, the young couple heard the message of Latter-day Saint missionaries. Abraham listened with an open heart, but Ann resisted at first — often slipping away when the missionaries visited. Then, one day, she had a remarkable spiritual experience: she felt surrounded by a warm light and heard a gentle voice say, “Go back and listen to those men.” She did. On February 1, 1864, both were baptized — the same day as Ann’s birthday.

In May 1866, Abraham and Ann set out for Utah with two small daughters, Ellen and Emily. They boarded the Cornelius Greenwell in Liverpool, landed in New York on July 11, 1866, and crossed the plains with the Joseph S. Rawlins Ox Train Company — arriving in the Salt Lake Valley on October 1, 1866.

Their first years in Utah were spent working on the Bradford farms in South Cottonwood (near today’s 4800 South 6th East). There they were sealed in the Old Endowment House and welcomed three more children. By the early 1870s, they moved to the west bank of the Jordan River near 4000 South, where William Todd was born. Life was not without challenges — they sometimes faced tense encounters with Native American bands who still lived and traveled through the area.

By 1875, the Todd family had settled at 4000 South Redwood Road. Here Abraham homesteaded his own land and built a modest adobe home. By 1885, it had grown into a larger family house, where they raised the rest of their ten children: Charles, Fannie, and Abraham Jr. Abraham’s training as a gardener showed in his tidy orchards, rows of crops, and the shade trees that softened the harsh Utah sun.

The Todd family’s story is one of thrift, industry, and community spirit. Todd men helped build the valley’s early railroads and dug canals by hand to bring precious irrigation water to Granger’s thirsty fields. At their peak, the Todds ran up to 1,000 sheep, though they suffered losses from a dishonest partner. Undeterred, the Todd sons later rebuilt the herd and grazed sheep up Millcreek Canyon, spending nights guarding their flocks and trapping bears to protect their livelihood.

But the Todds were not only farmers — they were musicians and warm hosts. Abraham played the concertina, Fannie the organ, and other children joined in with fiddle and guitar. Their farmhouse became a favorite gathering place for neighbors, who came for dances, good food, and laughter under the flicker of lantern light.

After decades of building their homestead and community, Abraham and Ann moved to 2200 West around 1915 to live closer to family as they grew older. Ann passed away on Christmas Eve in 1917. Abraham followed seven years later, on December 31, 1924 — closing a remarkable life that spanned an ocean crossing, a faith journey, and the building of a thriving Utah farm.