James Bertoch: Pioneer, Farmer, and Civic Leader of Pleasant Green and Hunter

Jacques “James” Bertoch – Pioneer, Farmer, and Civic Leader

Jacques “Jame”s Bertoch was born July 29, 1838, in Saint Germain, Piedmont, Italy, to John Bertoch and Marguerite Bounous, descendants of French Huguenots. Baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1852, he emigrated with his family to America in 1854, enduring a difficult journey that included the deaths of two siblings along the way. After arriving in Salt Lake Valley, James worked for Joseph Toronto, tending livestock on Antelope Island and the West Mountain area.

In 1866, he married Ann Cutcliffe in the Salt Lake Endowment House and settled first in Pleasant Green (now Magna), where he farmed, cared for Toronto’s cattle, and raised a growing family. Over the years, James and Ann developed their homestead into a productive farm with orchards, vineyards, and gardens. He was known for grafting and budding fruit trees, keeping bees, and producing honey and butter that were prized in the Salt Lake Valley. He also served in numerous civic and church roles, including as a school trustee, assistant superintendent of the Pleasant Green Sunday School, and counselor in the Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Association.

In 1905, after selling the Pleasant Green farm to the Utah Copper Company, James moved to Hunter, building a comfortable home on 33rd South Street, just across from the Hunter Ward meetinghouse. Here he continued to serve the community and raise his family. James Bertoch was widely respected for his integrity, honesty, and devotion to both family and faith. He passed away on March 1, 1924, at the age of 86, leaving a legacy of pioneer perseverance, civic contribution, and agricultural innovation