Layton historical tidbits: Did Jim Bridger visit the future site of Layton City?

                                                 Jim Bridger

IN the fall of 1825, some trappers with the legendary Jim Bridger visited what was to become Layton City, almost a century later. (This was almost 22 years before the Mormon Pioneers arrived in the territory.)

They may have been the first non-Native Americans to traverse the Layton area.

Bridger and his trappers were ambushed by a war party of Blackfoot Indians. Four trappers were killed and seven were wounded, while up to 100 Indians may have perished in the battle.

SOURCE: "East of Antelope Island" by the Daughters of Utah Pioneers (1948 edition), page 119.

-Not all Indians in the Layton area were violent. In the mid-1850s, some friendly Native Americans still lived in the Kays Creek Hollow area and raised watermelons and other crops.

-Layton City is an outgrowth of Kaysville City. Layton de-annexed from Kaysville to become an unincorporated area, from 1902-1907. Layton incorporated as a town in 1920. However, the town of Kaysville was originally known as Kays Settlement, after its first Bishop The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, William Kay. When the Kay family moved out of the area, there was a movement to try and rename the community “Freedom.” The Deseret News of Nov. 21, 1860 even referred to the town by its Freedom title. Brigham Young disliked the name and suggested Kaysville, which became its permanent moniker. (-From Utah Place Names,” by John W. Van Cott).

-“The members of second ward of

Kaysville last Sunday decided to change the name to Layton Ward so as to conform with the precinct and post office and hereafter it will be known by that name.” (-Davis County Clipper, Aug. 31, 1892.)

-“There was a surprise party at Henry Thornley’s home and someone drove off the teams and hid the wagons and as a result, one couple had to walk five miles to reach their residence. (Davis County Clipper, Sept. 26, 1895.)

-During the height of the national prohibition from alcohol, officers found and destroyed a chain of three stills in the mountains east of Layton. According to the Davis County Clipper of April 2, 1926, some 1,500 gallons of mash were found. No water supply was found at the site and it was believed that snow was melted to prepare the mash.