William Johnson Burton

Life Sketch of William Johnson Burton

William Johnson Burton was born 7 October 1878 in Bountiful, Davis County Utah, the son of George Burton and Mary Ann Johnson. He was the fifth child in a family of six, four boys and two girls. he was the second oldest living son. He was a tall man, six feet two inches with black curly hair and blue eyes.

William's parents were emigrants from England having come to America for the Gospel of jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the year 1868. One son, James Thomas, passed away in England before they migrated to America.        

Little Pigeon Mountain

In 1944 George Burton was found dead at his sheep camp. He was 68 years old. He had been herding sheep on the winter range. He and his camp buddy were east of what is now the Salt Flats. They were working their way north to Idaho for the summer. They were camped at Little Pigeon Mountain in March of that year. The camp buddy saw George's horse come back to camp with the reins hanging down. George was nowhere to be seen. He had gone to check on the sheep and never returned. The camp buddy went to search for him and found him not far from where the camp was. His pants were worn as if he'd tried to crawl back to camp. They were reported to be a new pair of overalls. His neck had bruises from being kicked by the horse. His death was reported at this railway station by the camp buddy. Lucin, Utah

Left: Railway cutoff. The train used to run much farther north but this cutoff was made which shortened the distance across the western Utah desert. Lucin Station. Right: George Burton

What remains of the Lucin station as of 2015

Looking out from the trees at Lucin. It is an oasis in the western Utah desert. There are no homes remaining there as of 2015.

Lucin, Utah. There was a small town here in the early part of the 20th century. It died away but was revived when the children of that town grew up and came back in the 1990s to retire there. It is deserted as of 2015.

Little Pigeon Mountain, Utah West Desert

Little Pigeon Mountain from the east side

The view of the west desert. We imagined George returning here every year to run his sheep.

Little Pigeon Mountain

The Sun Tunnels near Little Pigeon Mountain.

William and Caleb Burton