1847-1947: LDS Ecclesiastical Development

“Planted in Faith, Rooted in the Gospel: The First 100 Years of LDS Legacy in West Valley”
–1847-1947 A Century of LDS Ecclesiastical Development in the Salt Lake Valley

1847
On October 3, 1847, following Church procedures and under the direction of President Brigham Young, the first stake in the Rocky Mountains was organized in the Salt Lake Valley. It was named the Salt Lake Stake, with John Smith as stake president and Charles C. Rich and John Young as his counselors.

1848
Later that fall, Joseph Harker became the first settler west of the Jordan River, building a log home just north of what is now 3300 South.

1849
On January 9, several other pioneers—John Bennion, Thomas Mackay, William Blackhurst, William Farrar, John Robinson, Thomas Turbett, and James Taylor—joined Harker and spent the winter living in dugouts. That same year, John Smith was called as Patriarch to the Church, and on February 13, Daniel Spencer was set apart as stake president with David Fullmer and Willard Snow as counselors.

1850
In the spring, Harker and the Bennion families relocated near the mouth of Little Cottonwood Creek, just south of present-day 4800 South, formally beginning the settlement of "Over Jordan."

1852
On January 28, the West Jordan Ward was organized. John Robinson was ordained bishop, with Joseph Harker and Reese Williams as his counselors. The ward encompassed all land west of the Jordan River, and meetings were held in a school at English Fort, built in 1853.

1853–1857
When Bishop Robinson left for a mission to Nova Scotia, his counselors and John Bennion managed the ward. Upon his return, he resumed leadership briefly before moving to Ogden. Harker then resumed the role of bishop. During 1856–57, while Harker served a mission to the Salmon River, Bennion again led the ward.

1859
On March 8, Archibald Gardner was ordained bishop and moved the ward headquarters to the Mill Branch, now known as West Jordan. Around this time, a branch was organized in North Jordan (Taylorsville) with John Bennion as presiding elder.

1863
On September 27, Samuel Bennion succeeded John Bennion as presiding elder in North Jordan.

1867
On February 24, a ward was organized in the home of William W. Camp in the north end of Salt Lake County, with A.W. Cooley as bishop. This marked the beginning of a distinct congregation west of the Jordan River.

1870
When Bishop Cooley moved, the branch was temporarily reassigned to the 19th Ward. Special teachers were appointed to lead.

1877
On July 29, the North Jordan Branch officially became the North Jordan Ward, later known as Taylorsville. Samuel Bennion was ordained bishop with Archibald Frame and Joseph Harker as counselors.

1882
Pleasant Green Ward was organized on October 1 from a branch of Brighton Ward. Lehi N. Hardman was bishop, with Hyrum T. Spencer and John Hurst as counselors.

1883
On July 29, Daniel McRae and Samuel Bringham were called as new counselors to Bishop Samuel Bennion in North Jordan Ward.

1884
On February 24, Granger Ward was formed from the north part of North Jordan and part of Brighton. Daniel McRae became bishop, with Abram Sorensen and John H. Bawden as counselors, and John C. Mackay as clerk.

1887
After Sorensen moved away, Mackay became a counselor in the Granger Ward bishopric.

1888
Hunter, west of Granger, was organized into a ward on October 16, with William Miller as bishop and John T. Evans and Alfred A. Jones as counselors. It had previously been a branch of Pleasant Green.

1900
On January 24, the Granite Stake was created, encompassing Taylorsville, Granger, and Hunter. It was one of six new stakes created from the Salt Lake Stake.

1905
Bennion Ward was organized on October 5 at the 64th District Schoolhouse. Thomas Dimond was bishop, with Alfonso M. Palmer and William Bennion as counselors.

1914
The Granite Stake was divided on November 29, forming the Cottonwood Stake, which included Taylorsville, Granger, Bennion, and Hunter Wards.

1923
On June 3, the Oquirrh Stake was created from parts of Cottonwood and Pioneer Stakes. It included Granger and Hunter.

1938
On June 18, a Sunday School was established in Chesterfield in the home of Delbert Giles. Milton Gold was superintendent, with Giles and Arnold Arnesan as counselors.

1940
The Sunday School's success led to the formation of the Pioneer Branch. On October 13, it became the Redwood Ward, with Oliver C. Pederson as bishop and Clarence Pearson and C.L. Morris as counselors.

1943
On April 25, Granger Ward was divided into Granger 1st and 2nd Wards. Merrill L. Petersen was bishop of Granger 2nd, with Wendell A. Newman and Richard G. Bawden as counselors. Albert Bonham was bishop of Granger 1st.

1947
On January 12, the North Jordan Stake—the 162nd in the Church—was officially organized. It included Bennion, Granger 1st, Granger 2nd, Hunter, Redwood, and Taylorsville Wards, totaling 4,644 members. John D. Hill was sustained as stake president, with Edwin K. Winder and Alvin Barker as counselors and Read S. Arnold as stake clerk.

1947
By this time, the stake population had grown to 5,419. Developments such as the planned Kearns Townsite (2,400 homes), the massive copper refinery, and the Salt Lake County culinary water project pointed to a future of continued growth. Church leaders had, as it was later said, “built better than they knew.”

The Granger Ward Artist: Harlan Bangerter

The Granger Ward