DANIEL WILLIAMS PIONEER OF 1861. BUSINESS ENTERPRISES OF DANIEL WILLIAMS In the fall of 1861, there came to Morgan County, a man named Daniel Williams. He had left his home in Monmouthshire, Wales, the previous year and with his wife and five small children had ventured into this new land following his adopted faith. At scranton, Pennsylvania, he had suffered the loss of his wife, Eliza Ames Williams, and shortly thereafter had proceeded westward with a younger sister in charge of the little motherless family. Perhaps it was the dire necessity of caring for so many which drove him with relentless ambition. Upon his arrival in the valley, he took up squatters claim on the site which later became Morgan City. He was the first settler north of the Weber River. The family lived in a dug-out shelter in the hillside for a short time, enduring severe hardship from cold and lack of food and clothing. During this time, the father, Daniel, began clearing his land, preparatory to faming. Also, in these first months, he found time to court and Marry Harriet Thurston, one of the first school teachers in the county, again providing his family with a very fine mother. Fortune smiled on Daniel and his affairs, when, early in his venture, he discovered a good deposit of lime rock on his property and with an eye for business, constructed a kiln to process it. He undoubtedly realized con¬siderable profit from the sale of lime and in a short time built a large, two- story lime concrete building which became his home and a further source of livelihood. There is some question as to the date of this building, but 1865-67 would be approximately right. The northwest end of the lower story was a tavern. Rooms above provided lodging for drivers of the Pony Express as well as travelers thereof. Directly north, he built a stable surrounded by a protective wall of heavy rock and lime construction, which, with regularly spaced apertures, served as a small fortification in the possible event of Indian uprising. Much of this structure still stands. In 1869, records show that Harriet Williams, wife of Daniel was granted the appointment of postmistress for Morgan County and a postoffice was opened in a corner of the tavern. This followed close upon the heels of the building of the railroad through the county and the valley was alive with excitement and activity. Again, Daniel Williams, through shrewd and astute dealing contracted for all the lime to be used in bridges and railroad construction along the Weber River. This was hauled by ox-team to Echo. In order to gain as much profit as possible from these long trips, food and commodities of various sorts were purchased in Echo and loaded in the wagons for the return trip. In a short time, Daniel found himself in the merchandising business. The tavern became a store where considerable trading was carried on for a number of years. Meanwhile, the direction of the railroad through the county had affected the townsite considerably and in the next several years, the general plan of the city took shape. The main streets were surveyed and laid parallel with the tracks, the first street south of the shining rails gaining greater prominence due to the new business enterprises which began springing up along its course. During these years, Joseph, son of Daniel Williams, had grown to young manhood and had married. Foreseeing the trend of business toward the front street, he purchased the land then owned by Thomas Metz, who was also engaged in operating a small store. Upon this property he built the original part of the present J, Williams & Sons Go. store which is still in good condition. On the opposite corner, he built a two-story brick home. According to the terms of an agreement between father and son, a transfer of stock was made from the original store to Josephs' new business in 1880. A great amount of trading in those early days was done by barter, since money was not plentiful. Produce, particularly grain and potatoes, was exchanged by the farmers for food and clothing. The produce was then shipped by freight to city markets by Joseph, the young business promoter. Little by little, the business expanded and became firmly founded, operating at present- 1953- under the management of members of the third and fourth generations of the Williams family. Along with his many diversified interests and activities, Daniel Williams was also chosen by the people to engineer and construct the first irrigation system in Morgan County. He contracted to build the canal which still serves its purpose and is known as the "Big Ditch", as well as a number of other water ditches from the Weber River. According to the terms of his contract, he was paid 200 bushel of wheat for the work. In later years, Daniel Williams, is known to have loaned money on many occasions during financial stress and thus became a banker of sorts and a friendly advisor to the people. As such, he was trusted, respected and loved by them until the end of his days. His entire life, until his very late years, was active and devoted to growth and developemnt of the community. Faye Eliza Williams January 1953