Salt Lake City Utah Genealogy

Biography of Bishop Wilford W. Clark

Wilford Woodruff Clark, bishop of the Montpelier ward in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, has risen by successive steps from deacon to elder, from elder to one of the seventy, thence to the office of high priest and finally to that of bishop. As a member of the seventy he performed a mission in the south, principally in North Carolina, where he met with great success in establishing churches. In civil life he is known as Hon. Wilford Woodruff Clark. He was elected, as a Republican, to the third Idaho state legislature, of which he was … Read more

Coles, Roger Duane Obituary

Haines, Oregon Roger Duane Coles, 86, of Vancouver, Wash., and a former Baker and Haines resident, went home to be with his Lord on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2003. A celebration of life ceremony was held to honor him on Saturday, Jan. 25. The service was held at 3 p.m. at Felida Baptist Church located in Vancouver, Wash. Born in Haines, on June 2, 1916, he graduated from Haines High School and later attended Brooks Institute of Photography. He received an Honorary Master of Science in Photography from Brooks in 2001 for representing “our craft with diligence, fortitude, honesty, service, and … Read more

Biography of William Woodward

One of the pioneer settlers of Franklin, Oneida county, Idaho, and a farmer of the above state, William Woodward, was born on the 4th of January, 1833, in Bushey, Hertfordshire, England. He received a common-school education in his native village. In 1845 he removed to Watford, and there he heard Mormonism by a blacksmith, Richard B. Margetts, and he was baptized June 21, 1848. He soon became anxious to join his coreligionists in Salt Lake valley, then in upper California. In January 1850, Mr. Woodward sailed from Liverpool, England, on the ship Argo, Captain Mills, with four hundred Latter Day … Read more

Harkey, Helen – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Local Funerals and Visitations Oct. 16 – Helen Harkey, celebration of life, 2 p.m., Daniels-Knopp Funeral, Cremation and Life Celebration Center La Grande Observer – October 14, 2009 Helen E. Harkey La Grande 1940-2009 Helen Elaine Harkey, 69, of La Grande, died Oct. 10 in Boise. A celebration of life will begin at 2 p.m. Friday at Daniels-Knopp Funeral, Cremation & Life Celebration Center, 1502 Seventh St. in La Grande. Helen was born April 22, 1940, to Henry B. and Donna (Paulfurman) Mortensen in Salt Lake City. She was the youngest of 14 children. The family later … Read more

Biography of Danford Atwood

Danford Atwood was born in Connecticut in 1823. His parents were Mormons and moved to Nauvoo, Illinois, at an early day, and from thence to Council Bluffs, Iowa, where in 1850 Mr. Atwood married Miss Jane Garner, of Hancock County, Illinois. She was the daughter of George and Elizabeth (Hedrick) Garner, natives respectively of North Carolina and Indiana. They had six children. Mrs. Garner died in Illinois at the age of thirty-two, and Mr. Garner married Lydia Hill. In 1836 he went to Council Bluffs, where he remained nearly two years, and then came to California, in 1852, by ox … Read more

Biography of Sylvester Mowry

Sylvester Mowry entered West Point Academy in 1848, graduating high up in his class in 1852. Among his classmates were General Crook, General Kautz, Colonel Mendel, Jerome Bonaparte, Jr., Major General Evans, Captain Mullin of San Francisco, Lieutenant Ives, and other well known army officers. In the summer of 1853, he was engaged with George B. McClellan on the Columbia, surveying for a railroad route; in 1855 he was with Colonel Steptoe at Salt Lake City, and in the spring of that year conducted some recruits and animals through to California. At this time he was a lieutenant, and, late … Read more

Biography of Harry Haynes Culmer

Harry Haynes Culmer, superintendent of the Staudard Asphalt and Rubber Company at Independence, is one of the expert technical men connected with the oil industry and has had a wide range of experience in his profession both in the United States and Canada. He came to Independence in 1906, and laid out the works of the Standard Asphalt and Rubber Company, which he has since served as superintendent and chemical engineer. Mr. Culmer was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, October 30, 1878. He comes of notable ancestry. Records show that the Culmers go back to the year 862 A. … Read more

Ancestry of William Hartley Cary of Brockton, Massachusetts

William Hartley Cary was a prominent and respected citizen and business man of the city of Brockton, where his death occurred Dec. 9, 1899. As a citizen he enjoyed the esteem of the entire community, in which industrial center he had for nearly a quarter of a century been an influential and successful factor in the development of its business interests. Mr. Cary was born Jan. 10, 1852, in Charleston, Maine, son of William Harrison and Abigail (Ingles) Cary. His parents were both natives of Maine, although his earlier paternal ancestors were among the early settlers of North Bridgewater (now Brockton). A record of that branch of the Cary family through which Mr. Cary descended, which has been traced in direct line back in England to the year 1170, follows.

Biography of James H. Riggs

JAMES H. RIGGS. – One of the capable and esteemed gentlemen of Union county is named at the head of this article and is deserving of representation in the history of his county, since he has labored here with assiduity and energy for the development of the county and its resources and has manifested meanwhile both ability, sagacity, and integrity in his endeavors, being one of the leading agriculturists of the county. Mr. Riggs was born in Roachdale, Lancashire, England, on December 18, 1837, being the son of Levi and Elizabeth (Standring) Riggs, natives also of England. The father was … Read more

Rogers, Vernon Irving “Vern” – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Vernon Irving “Vern” Rogers, 84, of Baker City, died Sept. 9, 2004, in Boise, Idaho. His funeral will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2625 Hughes Lane. Bishop David Richards will officiate. Vault interment will be at Mount Hope Cemetery. Friends are invited to join the family for a reception at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints after the services. Vern was born on Aug. 23, 1920, at Maquon, Ill., to Irving Holt and Vivian Lois Burroughs Rogers. He was the eldest of nine children. Vern’s father, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of M. E. Button

M. E. Button, a rancher near San Bernardino, was born in Onondaga County, New York, and moved to Ohio when he was twenty-three years old and engaged in farming. There, in 1834, he was married to Miss Mary Bittles, also from York State, the daughter of Thomas and Ann (Spence) Bittles, both natives of Ireland. They had six children, and moved to Geauga County, Ohio, when Mary was seventeen years of age, where he engaged in farming until his death, which occurred in 1889. Mr. Button lived two years at Salt Lake, where he stopped on his way to the … Read more

Biography of Erwin A. Rieger

The subject of this sketch is one of the younger men who have achieved brilliant success in the business world of the west, being located in Ontario, where he has an important interest in the Oregon Forwarding Company. one of the largest general merchandise establishments of the eastern part of Oregon, which owes much of its unbounded success to the keen business ability- and fine executive force of Mr. Rieger. The birth of Erwin A. occurred in Ludwigburg, Germany, on January 28, 1873, being the son of Frederick J. and Mary (Kiesel) Rieger. The father was a leading attorney of … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Reuben L. Dewitt

Reuben L. Dewitt, of San Bernardino, was born in Switzerland County, Indiana, October 19, 1815, the son of John and Jane (Potter) DeWitt, natives of Indiana and New York respectively. His grandmother, Elizabeth Sheridan, was an aunt of the late General Sheridan. He was left an orphan at the age of fourteen years. For several years he traveled around in different counties of Illinois and Iowa. In 1851 he crossed the plains to Salt Lake City, where he spent two years, and from there came to San Bernardino County, where he has lived ever since. His first purchase of real … Read more

Biography of John B. Thatcher

John B. Thatcher, assessor and tax collector of Bannock county, and the owner of a valuable ranch on Bear river, where he carries on general farming and stock-raising, was born in Clark county, Ohio, October 22, 1834, being of English and German descent. At an early epoch in the history of Virginia, his ancestors, having braved the perils incident to ocean voyages at that day, took up their residence in the Old Dominion, and representatives of the family fought for the independence of the nation in the Revolutionary war. The parents of our subject, Hezekiah and Alley (Kitchen) Thatcher, were … Read more

Biography of Hon. James E. Hart

Faithfulness is the surest stepping-stone to success. Faithfulness in small things begets confidence in one’s ability to undertake more considerable tasks; and in business life, in professional life, in the church and in public affairs, faithfulness and thoroughness have carried thousands and are carrying thousands up from the day and place of small things to places of higher and still higher responsibility and honor. These thoughts have been suggested by a consideration of the successful career of the man whose name appears above. James E. Hart, clerk of the district court and ex-officio auditor and recorder of Bear Lake county, … Read more

Biography of John C. Fox

Eighteen years have come and gone since John C. Fox arrived in Hailey. The town was then in its infancy, and throughout the intervening period he has been a prominent factor in the advancement of the commercial interests upon which the growth and prosperity of a village always depend. Widely known, his life history cannot fail to prove of interest to his many friends, and it is therefore with pleasure that we present this record of his career to our readers. Mr. Fox was born July 2, 1847, in Pennsylvania, a son of Daniel Fox, who was of German descent. … Read more

Biography of Evan E. Jones

EVAN E. JONES. – The well known member of the agricultural population of Union county whose name is at the head of this article is one of the capable and enterprising men of our county, and he has afine estate of two quarters, one of which is valuable for a fine quarry of stone, while the other is one of the fertile farms of the vicinity of Elgin, and he has labored faithfully in his endeavors to forward the welfare of the county as well as make for himself the abundant success that is his meed to enjoy at the … Read more

Biography of Samuel J. Langdon

Samuel J. Langdon, one of the highly esteemed pioneer farmers of Latah County, is a native of Ohio, having been born at Granville, Licking County, May 4, 1829. He is of Scotch-Irish lineage, and his ancestors were early settlers of Connecticut and participants in the Revolutionary war and in the events which go to form the colonial history of the country. The family is noted for a patriotic spirit, and one of the Langdons served as commander of the colonial forces at the battle of Ticonderoga. Jesse Langdon, the grandfather of our subject, was born and reared in Connecticut and … Read more

Biography of Jacob Jones

Jacob Jones, a pioneer property-owner, merchant, farmer, blacksmith and hotelkeeper at Montpelier, Idaho, and one of the most prominent citizens of the town, was born in Breconshire, South Wales, May 14, 1825. His parents were descended from old Welsh families and his father was a Methodist, and his mother was a Presbyterian. Of their ten children he was the youngest. He was educated and entered upon the active struggle of life in his native land and there married Miss Anne Collier on the Saturday before Christmas, 1852. As early as 1846 he had been converted to the faith of the … Read more

Biography of Hon. John S. Barrett

The pluckiest men, those who may go down temporarily in the world’s great battle, but who will never give up the fight and are certain to overcome all obstacles and win the victory sooner or later, are those who have gone into the battle while yet in their childhood, and as boys have done the work of men, and have been men before their time. An illustration of this fact is afforded by the career of Hon. John S. Barrett, of Montpelier, Idaho. John S. Barrett was born in London, England, February 8, 1854. In 1860, when he was eight … Read more