by Brennan Patrick Gillis
Posted in Uncategorized
Names, Histories, and Legacies in Moab’s Canyon Country
The history of William Grandstaff is a history of the American West: a man in search of a new life in the wild unknowns of the frontier, running cattle, brewing liquor, and travelling from town to town chasing a dream. First appearing in Utah around 1877, Grandstaff built his homestead on the site of the abandoned Elk Mountain Mission and scraped a living from the hardscrabble slickrock desert that eventually became Moab.
While his time in the area was relatively brief, his legend has been the subject of interest, controversy, and attempted erasure.
Grandstaff’s Journey to Utah
Before arriving in Utah, his history is less documented. Records indicate that Grandstaff was likely born an enslaved man on a plantation in Virginia. As a young adult, he either was released from or escaped slavery. Perhaps in response to his enslaved upbringing, Grandstaff answered the call to join the Black Brigade, a division of the Union forces assigned to defend Cincinnati from the advancing Confederate army.
His enrollment in the Black Brigade placed him in Cincinnati during the 1860’s. At first, Cincinnati police rounded up Black men, forcing them to join the Union forces and fortify the city. After a few days of nonstop labor, digging trenches and building defenses on half-rations, the Cincinnati Gazette rallied the goodwill of the city against the forced draft and mistreatment of these Black soldiers. The newspaper condemned the unjust treatment, arguing the Union Army should “let our colored fellow-soldiers be treated civilly” and “treated like men.”
Eventually, Colonel William Dickson disbanded the unit, and allowed the forcefully drafted troops to return to their homes. He then issued a call for volunteers to join a new Black Brigade, promising a fairer treatment.
This new force is recognized as the first formalized Black regiment within the Union army. According to historical records, William Grandstaff answered the call to join the reformed Black Brigade as a volunteer.
In 1862, the Confederate threat to Cincinnati was thwarted, with historical record citing the fortifications built by the Black Brigade as critical to the defense of the city.
After the war, Grandstaff, like many men, looked westward toward the legendary prosperity of the unknown American landscape. By 1868, census records suggest a separation from his wife, Isabella, and a departure from Ohio. Little is known about Grandstaff between his time living in Cincinnati and his appearance in Utah, however, genealogical research led by Nick Sheedy in collaboration with the Moab Museum suggests the possibility that Grandstaff lived in Omaha during this time.
Eventually, he made his way to Utah’s Elk Mountain Mission – the settlement that eventually became the City of Moab. According to Sheedy, William Grandstaff arrived in Utah around 1877 with a partner known only as “Frenchie.” Frenchie and Grandstaff occupied or built a structure near the current location of Moab Springs Ranch where they homesteaded while running cattle through a side canyon along the Colorado River.
It took William Grandstaff a few years to establish himself as a cattle driver, trader, and distiller. However, this success was relatively short lived. He reportedly fled Utah in 1881, leaving behind his cattle, business, and homestead. The reasons why he left are unclear, but most historians attribute his departure to aggression from White settlers around Grandstaff’s relationship (and possible liquor sales) to the local Native population.
Eventually, Grandstaff landed in Glenwood Springs, where he died in 1901. His entrepreneurial acumen was not dampened by his hasty departure of Utah; he bought and sold businesses, held mining claims, and owned property with his likely wife, Rebecca.
Honoring Grandstaff’s Legacy
More recently, Grandstaff’s canyon, about 15 miles away from downtown Moab, has been the subject of local controversy.
In the 1960’s, the canyon’s name was officially changed from a derogatory slur to “Negro Bill Canyon.” This change was adopted by the US government and US Geological Survey over the decade, and by the end of the 60’s all new maps of the area had replaced the more racist name for Grandstaff’s canyon to Negro Bill.
Eventually, community members began to question whether or not the name ‘Negro Bill’ was an appropriate way to honor Grandstaff’s legacy. In a 2012 article in the Salt Lake Tribune, local historian Lewis Williams expresses his distaste when touring family and friends around the area:
“People cringe when we have to tell the name of it. The looks on their face is: ‘What did you just say?’ ” Williams said. “People ask. ‘Why is it named that?’ They don’t ask who he is.”
The push to change the Canyon’s name led to a 2001 vote by the US Board of Geographic Names, however, the board failed to pass the change. For the next 15 years, efforts to rename the canyon continued to build, attracting national attention. The Utah Chapter of the NAACP weighed in against the name change, arguing that the history would be lost, while the Utah Martin Luther King Jr. Commission labeled the name as “blatant racism.”
Moab locals were also divided on the issue, with many believing that the true way to honor Gransdstaff’s legacy was to use his true name, rather than a name he may or may not have held or appreciated.
People cringe when we have to tell the name of it. The looks on their face is: ‘What did you just say?’ People ask. ‘Why is it named that?’ They don’t ask who he is.
LEWIS WILLIAMS, MOAB
Eventually, the US Board of Geographic Names called another vote to change the canyon’s name to Grandstaff in October of 2017. The name change was successful, and ‘Grandstaff Canyon’ replaced ‘Negro Bill Canyon’ in all government databases, maps, and records.
“His name was Grandstaff; it was not Negro Bill,” said Wendi-Starr Brown, who represents the Bureau of Indian Affairs on the U.S. Board on Geographic Names. “I’m pretty sure that’s not how he wanted to be addressed in life.”
Despite the US Government, the BLM, and the majority of Moab’s community supporting the new name, there are still instances of vandalism around the Canyon’s current signage.
There are many ways to honor a landscape’s historical legacy. Land acknowledgements, local leave no trace ethics, and usage history all come together to create the diverse places where we adventure. When inviting someone to explore our favorite outdoor areas, city landmarks, or natural surroundings, a multi-faceted knowledge of an area is essential to forming a deeper connection to place.
This article is a summary of a few different sources. If you would like to learn more about Grandstaff’s history and legacy, reach out to the Moab Museum or visit their website.
Additional sources include:
William J. Grandstaff: African-American Pioneer of Utah and Colorado – A genealogy study by Nick Sheedy as part of Finding Your Ancestry
Grandstaff Legacy: Glenwood Cross, Moab Canyon – Kara K. Pearson, The Post Independent
About the Author
Brennan Patrick Gillis is a writer and guide based out of Moab, UT. He works as the Director of Marketing and Communications for the Canyonlands Field Institute, and spends his free time getting lost in the canyons of the Colorado Plateau.