1853: Establishment of Mail Service in Lehi

Mail service in Lehi began in 1853, when residents were required to pick up their letters from a small post office located inside Bishop David Evan’s home. A separate, dedicated building solely for mail services was not construction until 1966, nearly a century after Lehi’s founding. Until Rural Free Delivery was introduced in 1902, access to mail services remained difficult for farmers living outside the town center.

1879-1888: Birth, Hardship, and Childhood Poverty

William Hadfield was born on June 3, 1879, in Provo, Utah, to Samuel hadfield and Alice Baker. Hadfield’s ealry life was one of hardship and instability. After his mother died when he was only five years old due to complications related to the birth of his younger brother Walter, his family struggled to adjust. A Later stepmother became mentally ill and was institutionalized, and in 1887, his grandmother, who was an important caretaker, died from a tragic and sudden head injury.

1902: Rural Free Delivery Introduced to Lehi

In 1902, the United States government introduced the Rural Free Delivery (RFD) system, revolutionizing mail service for rural communities. That same year, Lehi Postmaster S. W. Ross was instructed to establish a rural route. Andrew Fjeld became the first carrier, delivering mail to farmers across the region.10 Rural Free Delivery improved communication and brought a national social and economic life to rural areas.

1904: Religious Service and Life before Mail

Around the same time, Hadfield served a two-year mission to New York. After returning home in 1904, he became deeply involved in church leadership. He eventually served as a Sunday School Superintendent and later as a counselor. By 1906, Hadfield stopped working on TR. Jones' farm, and began working at the Lehi Sugar Factory.

1907: Becoming a Rural Mail Carrier

In January 1907, after the resignation of Joseph F. Russon, Hadfield applied for a position as a rural mail carrier. On March 7, 1907, the Deseret News announced Hadfield as the newly appointed rural mail carrier in Lehi. This came after an application process involving other Lehi men and a Civil Service test, in which Hadfield passed with a score of 93/100. Hadfield described his start as a mailman as rough, with him stuck in a deep mudhole for hours trying to free his buggy and horses. At this moment, Hadfield considered quitting until he learned that the previous carrier had taken a detour that allowed him to complete the route much more expeditiously. Once Hadfield learned this, he continued this job on a 22-and-a-half-mile route.

1913 -1944: Adapting to Life on the Route

Throughout his career, Hadfield adapted to major technological changes in transportation. When he first started delivering mail, he was given no equipment allowance and began delivering with his own horse and buggy. He later upgraded to a red mail wagon and eventually transitioned to early automobiles. This did not end the challenges Hadfield faced. The 1913 winter, for instance, was so severe, forcing Hadfield to finish the route on hand sleighs.

By 1910, mail delivery had advanced to the point that the first organization of Utah’s rural mail carriers was founded. Hadfield was a member of that organization and attended its meetings. In 1913, Hadfield attended the National Convention of Mail Carriers in Evansville, Indiana, where he was reportedly the only Mormon present. Although details of his attendance are unclear, he noted that some attendees ridiculed his religion, as some joked about polygamy. As we can see, Hadfield experienced multiple changes as mail delivery expanded, not just in Lehi but nationwide.

1944-1971: Life After Mail

In 1944, Postman William Hadfield retired from the U.S Postal Service after serving for 37 years. He served on church missions in several Northwestern states after he retired from October 1945 to April 1946. In the year 1950, his wife was diagnosed with cancer, and on April 17, 1954, a year after an operation at the LDS Hospital, she tragically passed away, ending a nearly 50-year-long marriage. Hadfield stayed in Utah for the remainder of his life and eventually became a Salt Lake Temple ordinance worker in July 1956. He developed an ulcer in April 1960 that eventually culminated in an honorable release from his service at the Temple and an amputation of his left leg. Hadfield kept treading on, just as he did before, as a mailman, this time, in a wheelchair with his son, Dale Hadfield, as his caretaker. He describes this period as difficult, but he entertained himself with games and his family's activities. William Hadfield eventually died in Dale’s home in October 1971.

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