Carter, William, 1821-1896

Person

Staff Only

Dates

Existence: 1821 - 1896

biographical statement

William Carter (1821-1896) was an early pioneer of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and farmer in Utah, having arrived with the Advanced Company on July 22, 1847, and helped establishment settlements in southern Utah. He was known to have plowed the first half acre of land in Utah and for helping build a system of ditches from the Virgin River to help water the crops in the area of Saint George, Utah.

William Carter was born February 12, 1821, in Sudbury, Herefordshire, England to Thomas and Sarah Parker Carter. On December 5, 1843, he married Ellen Benbow in Nauvoo, Illinois. They had three children together. Carter was among the Advanced Company to arrive in the Salt Lake Valley on July 22, 1847, and is known to have plowed the first acre of land in Utah. After their arrival in the valley, Carter's family settled in Salt Lake City. On November 29, 1853, Carter took his first plural wife, Harriet Temperance Utley, with whom he had eight children. His families would later be assigned to help settle Saint George, Utah. While in Saint George, Carter took another plural wife, Sophrona Ellen Turnbow on February 8, 1857, and they had eight children together. Carter helped build the St. George Temple, and was known for building a system of ditches from the Virgin River to help water crops in the Saint George area. William Carter died on June 22, 1896, in Saint George, Utah.

Citation:

Pioneers and Prominent Men of Utah, 1913: p. 797 (born February 12, 1821, in Sudbury, Herefordshire, England to Thomas and Sarah Parker Carter; on December 5, 1843, he married Ellen Benbow in Nauvoo, Illinois; on November 29, 1853, Carter took his first plural wife, Harriet Temperance Utley; Carter took another plural wife, Sophrona Ellen Turnbow on February 8, 1857.) William Carter: first plowman in Utah, 1821-1896, 1999: p.7-23, 112-114 (Carter was among the Advanced Company to arrive in the Salt Lake Valley on July 22, 1847, and is known to have plowed the first acre of land in Utah; Carter's family settled in Salt Lake City; his families would later be assigned to help settle St. George, Utah; Carter helped build the St. George Temple; he was known for building a system of ditches from the Virgin River to help water crops in the St. George area; died on June 22, 1896, in St. George, Utah.)

Found in 2 Collections and/or Records:

Biographical sketch of William Carter

File — Folder 1: [Barcode: 31197232489184]

Identifier: MSS 528

Scope and Contents

Typewritten biography. Also included is a typewritten poem by Johnson. William Carter was a Mormon who lived in Nauvoo, Illinois, migrated to Utah in 1847, and lived in Salt Lake City and later in St. George, Utah. He was a polygamist who spent time in the Utah penitentiary for bigamy.

Dates: 1938

Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections

William Carter ledger

Collection — Folder 1: [Barcode: 31197233636817]

Identifier: MSS 8259

Scope and Contents Materials include a single ledger used by William Carter as president of the committee responsible for digging the Virgin Ditch in St. George, Utah, dating from 1864-1868. Includes minutes of meetings and an account ledger for labor and supplies used in building the ditch. Ledger was later used from 1888-1893 for meetings of a committee to build a duck pond, later called the St. George Fish Pond Company, for which Carter was president and which was on his property. The entries for the...

Dates: 1864-1893