William Goates , landscape gardener and laid out Lord Hardwick's estate at Wimp[o]le, England, and planted the walnut trees there which are now famous. He made his way to Utah in September, 1852. After coming to America he devoted his attention to farming and to business as a nurseryman and florist. He was quite active and prominent in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, serving as bishop's counselor to the noted David Evans of Indian war fame. He was the promoter of many valuable early projects that contributed to the development and upbuilding of the state. He came to Utah after a voyage of eighteen weeks upon the Atlantic, landing at New Orleans, and with his arrival this state gained one of its most substantial and valued citizens--a man who recognized and utilized the opportunities not only for the upbuilding of his own fortunes but for the development and progress of the state as well. He became one of the most prominent horse breeders and sheep men of Utah and was also a representative of the bee industry, having an extensive apiary. He continued throughout his life a prominent worker in the church and was president of the First Elders Quorum. He also served as high priest, being ordained to that office and appointed to preside over the Lehi branch of the High Priests Quorum in the Utah stake of Zion, In the early days he did special guard duty against the depredations of the Indians and he helped to build the old fort wall. He displayed remarkable prescience in connection with the development of the state and was a man of keen business sagacity who readily discriminated between the essential and the nonessential in all business affairs. He became one of the first stockholders of the sugar factory at Lehi and also of the Provo Woolen Mills, was very active in promoting early irrigation projects and in road building and was most widely known for his unflinching devotion to every interest, material or moral, which he believed to be right. His high standards of conduct and of citizenship won for him many friends and his death, which occurred on the 23d of October, 1895, was the occasion of very deep and widespread regret.
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