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Grant, Lewis McKeachie, Bishop of West Bountiful Ward, Davis county, Utah, from 1891 to 1902, was born February 12, 1839, in Elderslie, Renfrewshire, Scotland, the son of Wm. McKeachie and Lindsay Morrison McDonald. He was baptized in Scotland when about eight years old and emigrated to America about four years later. His mother died when he was small and his father departed this life in St. Louis, Mo.; thus he was left an orphan early in life. He crossed the plains in 1852 with Jedediah M. Grant, in whose family he was subsequently adopted and thus became known in Utah by the name of Grant. He received a common school education and spent most of his time in Salt Lake City, until he was nineteen years old; he then located permanently in Bountiful. In 1856 he went east as far as Sweet Water to help the belated hand cart emmigrants to the valley. Later, he served as a militia man under Robert T. Burton during the so-called Echo Canyon campaign. In 1859 he was one of Joseph Horne's company which was sent to Heberville, in Southern Utah, to raise the first cotton in Utah. In 1862 he was sent east as far as Platte Bridge, together with many others to protect the United States mails against the Indians. Being called on a mission to Europe, he left home June 17, 1868, to fill the same and was on his arrival in England appointed to labor in Switzerland. While in that land he learned the German language and performed a very successful mission. After his return to Utah, August 6, 1870, he was made superintendent of the West Bountiful Sunday school and for about twenty years he also acted as president of the Y. M. M. I. A. of Bountiful, being the first man to fill that position in said ward. He also served as selectman in Davis county two terms, as Justice of the peace fourteen years, and as city justice of Bountiful City three years. He was the first to fill the latter position. October 30, 1876, he married Elnora Noble, who bore him eight children, namely Lewis M., jun.; Joseph William, Ernest Roy; Nellie Mable; Karl Stanley; Florence; Elnora May, and Afton Loretta. From January 16, 1886, to February 15, 1891, he acted as counselor in the West Bountiful Bishopric, and from the latter date until his death as Bishop of all walks of life, scrupulously honest in the same Ward. Bishop Grant was a most exemplary and punctual man in his dealings and ever on hand to help the poor and needy. Firm in the faith and beloved by all who knew him, he passed peacefully to his final rest at his home in Bountiful, November 10, 1902. The Bishop's name was originally John McKeachie, but when he was adopted into the family of Jedediah M. Grant, his given name, John was changed to Lewis, as there was already a John in the Grant family.
Andrew Jenson, Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia: A Compilation of Biographical Sketches of Prominent Men and Women in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 4 vols. Salt Lake City 2:89
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