The Road to Bingham

  The first resources that were recognized in Bingham Canyon were its water, timber and grass.  In order that the timber could be transported from Bingham to the Jordan Valley, there was a need for a road, and a group of West Jordan residents petitioned the Salt Lake County Court asking that county funds be expended so that one could be surveyed and constructed.  It was signed by the local Bishop, Archibald Gardner, and his two counselors, William A. Hickman and Joseph Harker.  A number of other local residents signed, some of whom were involved in the first mining claims at Bingham on 17 September 1863.  For us Hickmans, we get to see not just a list of Bill Hickman's neighbors, but also the signatures of William A. Hickman,  his son, William George Hickman, his son-in-law, Samuel Monroe Butcher, and his father-in-law, Emery Mecham.

--University of Utah Marriott Library Special Collections,

Ms. 584, Hope Hilton Papers, Box 1 Folder 13.

West Jordan Aug 27th 1862

To the Honorable County Court of Great Salt

Lake County

Gentlemen, We your Petitioners would respect

fully request that your Honorable body would survey

or cause to be surveyed a county road and opened

forthwith, from Jordan Mills leading into Bingham

Kanyon.

Also a Countyroad on the west side of Jordan

Commencing at Jordan Mills running South to

the point of the Mountain crossing the river at or near

Mr. Powells residence.       And as in duty bound

your Petitioners will ever pray,

Archibald Gardner|Emery Mecham

Danl R. Allen |   W G Hickman

Royal J Cutler|S M Butcher

Harmon Cutlar |John Field

Alex Bextsted |Samuel Bennion

James Turner  |Elijah Allen

Samuel Bateman|Jacob H Butterfield

Thomas Fowler |Joseph Harker

Richmon Lowder|George M Spencer

Samuel S Chandler|John Flack

John Irving|Robert Pixton

John Bennion  |

Thos Mackay|

Wm A Hickman  |

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  In the process of researching the life of James Lavender, a relative of hers Marlene Dimond found a letter from William A. Hickman to Brigham Young about a road petition at the LDS Church Archives from 1864.  It is not yet known whether this concerns the same road.

1864 (14 Jan)  Hickman's letter to Brigham Young

   

Pres. Brigham Young -

      I Learn from Bro. Aaron Johnson this morning that my petitiion for

a chartered road has, or is, about to go overboard.  Bro. Amasa Lyman is

chairman of committee on Road.

      Please do me a favor in this matter and oblige your friend,

William H. Hickman

--LDS Church Historical Dept., Archives, CR1234-1, Reel 41, box 29, fd. 21.-- p.102  

To see a similar Hickman petition signed in Missouri in 1835, click here.

To learn about the Hickmans as miners at Bingham Canyon, click here.

To return to the Hickman Family index page, click here.