In 1852 William journeyed with the Benjamin Gardner Company to the Salt Lake Valley.

William R. Hardy was a young boy in Nauvoo; he would break up old stoves to load into the cannons to protect the saints. He was a close friend to Joseph Smith, and would often play baseball, and other sports with the prophet.

His father Zachoriah Reed Hardy owned nearly a city block of land East of Nauvoo between Mulholand and Knight; with BonChest Street running on the East side. His grandmother Betsy Elizabeth Thorndike Hardy died in 1840, his grandfather Joseph Hardy died 1843, and his father Zachoriah Reed Hardy died in 1846 all in Nauvoo, Illinois.

He and his mother crossed the Plains with 50 other saints with a small team, and an old wagon in Captain Days Company; arriving September 21, 1852. Brigham Young sent his family to settle a colony East Weber, now Uintah.

Indian outbreaks were common so they built a fort to prevent the Indians from driving off their horses, and cattle in the winter of 1854-1855. At age 14; Mary Ann Bickmore enjoyed living at the fort, and completed her education school receiving the highest honors. At age 21 William met and married Mary Ann age 15; they moved to Mountain Green, then to Morgan in 1860, and then to Grantsville in Cache Valley for three years.

He was herding cows, and horses, and was shot in the back by Indians.

Later in life William became an Indian interpreter; as the language came to him as a gift. The Indians called him "Gunlock." This name could have come from the incident of a young 19-year-old brave who was shot in the stomach by another tribesman. The wound did not bleed; he came to William, and he took a ramrod covered with a handkerchief, and thrust it into the bullet hole starting the blood to flow, and the brave recovered.

An Indian came to his home in Idaho, and exclaimed "Gunlock," and hugged him. He was the brave who he had saved his life 30 years before.

After a run in with an Indian at his home; he was herding cows, and his dog jumped up, and pulled him backwards just as a bullet flew over his head, and saving his life.

He was a veteran of the Black Hawk, and Walker Indian Wars, worked in the sawmill, and as a carpenter. They pioneered Hooper, Utah, and a little Basin near Oakley, Idaho. It was said of Mary Ann that she was always willing to help those in need, and no one was turned away from her door. William died in 1916, and Mary Ann died a year later