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A Peculiar Place For The Peculiar Institution: Slavery And Sovereignty In Early Territorial Utah, Nathaniel R. Ricks
A Peculiar Place For The Peculiar Institution: Slavery And Sovereignty In Early Territorial Utah, Nathaniel R. Ricks
Theses and Dissertations
Between 1830 and 1844, the Mormons slightly shifted their position on African-American slavery, but maintained the middle ground on the issue overall. When Mormons began gathering to Utah in 1847, Southern converts brought their black slaves with them to the Great Basin. In 1852 the first Utah Territorial legislature passed “An Act in Relation to Service" that legalized slavery in Utah. This action was prompted primarily by the need to regulate slavery and contextualize its practice within the Mormon belief system. Ironically, had Congress known of Utah's slave population, it may have never granted Utah the power to legislate on …
Land Grabbers, Toadstool Worshippers, And The Sagebrush Rebellion In Utah, 1979-1981, Jedediah S. Rogers
Land Grabbers, Toadstool Worshippers, And The Sagebrush Rebellion In Utah, 1979-1981, Jedediah S. Rogers
Theses and Dissertations
In 1979, a handful of Nevada state officials sparked a movement to transfer the large unappropriated domain to the western states. For two years what became known as the Sagebrush Rebellion swept across the American West like brushfire, engaging westerners of all stripes in a heated dispute over the question of the public lands. In Utah, as elsewhere in the West, public officials, rural ranchers, miners, developers, academics, environmentalists, and concerned citizens joined the debate and staked sides. This episode underscored western relationships between people and nature and featured contests over competing ideologies in the West. But it probably did …
Utah's Plight: A Passage Through The Great Depression, Joseph F. Darowski
Utah's Plight: A Passage Through The Great Depression, Joseph F. Darowski
Theses and Dissertations
The Great Depression marked a fateful passage in the annals of the American people. President Roosevelt's New Deal, the nation's signature response, proved to be a determined but erratic reaction. Against the backdrop of a nation deeply mired in an unrelenting international depression, dramatic events played themselves out in the lives of the men and women of Utah. Throughout, fidelity to principles of independence, self-reliance, and self-sufficiency were sorely challenged.
The people of Utah found succor in two almost diametrically opposed responses. The New Deal offered an amalgam of programs and panaceas through which the federal government attempted to deliver …
Island Of Tranquility: Rhetoric And Identification At Brigham Young University During The Vietnam Era, Brian D. Jackson
Island Of Tranquility: Rhetoric And Identification At Brigham Young University During The Vietnam Era, Brian D. Jackson
Theses and Dissertations
The author argues that beyond religious beliefs and conservative politics, rhetorical identification played an important role in the relative calmness of the BYU campus during the turbulent Sixties. Using Bitzer's rhetorical situation theory and Burke's identification theory, the author shows that BYU's calm campus can be explained as a result of communal identification with a conservative ethos. He also shows that apparent epistemological shortcomings of Bitzer's model can be resolved by considering the power of identification to create salience and knowledge in rhetorical situations. During the Sixties, BYU administration developed policies on physical appearance that invited students to take on …
The Symphony In America: Maurice Abravanel, And The Utah Symphony Orchestra: The Battle For Classical Music, Alex D. Smith
The Symphony In America: Maurice Abravanel, And The Utah Symphony Orchestra: The Battle For Classical Music, Alex D. Smith
Theses and Dissertations
Between 1947 and 1979 the Utah Symphony Orchestra was transformed from an obscure, part-time, amateur orchestra into one of the major symphony orchestras in America. By 1947 the orchestra, which had begun as a Works Progress Administration organization, was barely hanging on. The symphony struggled to remain financially solvent, performing only a few concerts per year. Thirty-two years later the Utah Symphony Orchestra was one of the most prestigious musical ensembles in the country— receiving rave reviews from critics around the world, touring extensively, and with more than a hundred albums to its credit. The remarkable growth of the Utah …
Faith, Femininity, And The Frontier: The Life Of Martha Jane Knowlton Coray, Amy Reynolds Billings
Faith, Femininity, And The Frontier: The Life Of Martha Jane Knowlton Coray, Amy Reynolds Billings
Theses and Dissertations
Through examining the life of Martha Jane Knowlton Coray, a nineteenth-century Mormon woman, this thesis establishes an analytical framework for studying the lives of Mormon women in territorial Utah. Their faith, femininity, and the frontier form the boundaries in which their lives are studied. Their faith was primarily defined by the doctrines of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, such as a belief in a restored gospel and priesthood, temples, and polygamy. These unique beliefs also fostered an identity as a chosen people and contributed to hostile feelings from their neighbors. Persecution followed and the Latter-day Saint community …
Dorothea Lange In Utah, 1936-1938: A Portrait Of Utah's Great Depression, James R. Swensen
Dorothea Lange In Utah, 1936-1938: A Portrait Of Utah's Great Depression, James R. Swensen
Theses and Dissertations
In his 1978 biography of Dorothea Lange, Milton Meltzer appraised Lange's 1936 photography in Utah as nothing more than mundane work done for the benefit of the Farm Security Administration (FSA) and not for her own benefit as a photographer. Yet, her work in Utah encapsulates the aspirations, goals, and styles of Lange, and gives insight into her vision as a photographer and representative of the New Deal. Through carefully composed photographs, Lange shows the hardships and hope of life in Utah during the Great Depression.
This thesis investigates Lange's photographs in order to gain a greater understanding of the …
"A Little Oasis In The Desert": Community Building In Hurricane, Utah, 1860-1930, W. Paul Reeve
"A Little Oasis In The Desert": Community Building In Hurricane, Utah, 1860-1930, W. Paul Reeve
Theses and Dissertations
This thesis is a study of the mechanisms employed in the community building process of Hurricane, Utah. It traces the roots of the town's early settlers beginning with their arrival in southern Utah in the early 1860s through the founding of Hurricane and the establishment of its social order. This pioneering period largely ended by 1930.
Hurricane's founders were the remnants of the Mormon Church's failed Cotton Mission. Original U.S. census research shows that by 1900 close to half of the mission's colonizers abandoned the challenging desert of southern Utah. The stalwarts who remained fashioned the Hurricane Canal with the …
Aberrant Mormon Settlers: The Homesteaders Of Highland, Utah, David T. Durfey
Aberrant Mormon Settlers: The Homesteaders Of Highland, Utah, David T. Durfey
Theses and Dissertations
This thesis is a history of the original thirty-seven homesteaders of Highland, Utah. It covers a period of about twenty-five years, 1875-1900. The study provides an example of a aberrant community which was not established in the same, distinctive style of settlement as the typical Mormon village. In addition it describes the relationship between the original residents and non-residents of Highland with the surrounding villages of Lehi, American Fork, and Alpine.
The Southern Utah Expedition Of Parley P. Pratt: 1849-1850, Rick J. Fish
The Southern Utah Expedition Of Parley P. Pratt: 1849-1850, Rick J. Fish
Theses and Dissertations
In 1849, President Brigham Young commissioned a fifty man company, headed by Parley P. Pratt, to explore Southern Utah for possible colonization. The four month trek spanned the coldest months of the winter, and afforded some very harrowing and hazardous experiences. These events weave a heroic story filled with excitement and adventure, while simultaneously revealing the tremendous dedication and fortitude on the part of the explorers to successfully complete their mission.
Many of the Southern Utah colonies that were initiated in the subsequent years following the expedition were based on information gathered during this seven-hundred mile expedition. In addition, their …
Utah Indians And The Indian Slave Trade: The Mormon Adoption Program And Its Effect On The Indian Slaves, Robert M. Muhlestein
Utah Indians And The Indian Slave Trade: The Mormon Adoption Program And Its Effect On The Indian Slaves, Robert M. Muhlestein
Theses and Dissertations
This thesis is a study of the Mormon adoption program developed by the Mormons in response to the Indian slave trade in Utah, 1850-1880. It focuses on the Mormon justifications, as enumerated by Brigham Young, for the adoption policy and it links those justifications to expected results. Further this thesis compares the Mormon's expected results with the actual results of the adoption program through an analysis of historical accounts and Mormon ordinance records.
An Examination Of Mt. Pleasant, Utah, 1859-1939, Joseph G. Richardson
An Examination Of Mt. Pleasant, Utah, 1859-1939, Joseph G. Richardson
Theses and Dissertations
This thesis examines the first eighty years of Mt. Pleasant's history. Religion permeated the community affecting all areas of life, from education to the economy. This analysis will demonstrate how the characteristics described by May influenced the development of this community.
A Community Study Of Coalville, Utah, 1859-1914, Norma Eileen Pyper Thompson
A Community Study Of Coalville, Utah, 1859-1914, Norma Eileen Pyper Thompson
Theses and Dissertations
This thesis is about a small Mormon community, Coalville, Utah, during the time period 1859 to 1914. Coalville is located in the northeastern section of the state of Utah in Summit County on Interstate 80.
Although Coalville remained small in population, it is worthwhile to study its origins, the people who built its institutions, its social life and economy and how it developed from a mere camping spot on the road between Salt Lake to Wyoming into a stable community. Coalville's development was significant to the growth and culture of Utah.
The founders experienced the usual pioneer struggles to conquer …
The Development Of The Smelting Industry In The Central Salt Lake Valley Communities Of Midvale, Murray, And Sandy Prior To 1900, Charles E. Hughes
The Development Of The Smelting Industry In The Central Salt Lake Valley Communities Of Midvale, Murray, And Sandy Prior To 1900, Charles E. Hughes
Theses and Dissertations
This thesis found that the three communities of Midvale, Murray, and Sandy were the center of the smelting industry in the Salt Lake Valley. These communities became the center of smelting because of their central location, the readily available water supply, and the availability of an inexpensive, efficient transportation system to ship the bullion. The smelters were surrounded by two major mountain ranges which provided a ready supply of good lead, silver, and copper ore.
The development of the smelting industry followed three separate phases or periods. The first phase was one of experimentation or period of discovery, in which …
The Development And Failure Of Historic Agricultural Communities Of Utah: A Case Study Of Johns Valley, Utah, Wayne R. Shelley
The Development And Failure Of Historic Agricultural Communities Of Utah: A Case Study Of Johns Valley, Utah, Wayne R. Shelley
Theses and Dissertations
Many agricultural communities have developed in Utah since the first settlement, but many no longer exist today. Some of these early communities experienced a "boom and bust," while others struggled for several years and were eventually abandoned. Johns Valley is a good example of these historic communities, as it experienced rapid growth and times of success and prosperity, yet it struggled and was eventually abandoned.
The situation in Johns Valley, from its early settlement to its demise, demonstrates the hope of the people who settled there and their efforts to make Johns Valley a productive and successful area. History also …
Study Of The Pioneers Of Providence, Utah And Their Children, Hazel Mclean Tibbitts
Study Of The Pioneers Of Providence, Utah And Their Children, Hazel Mclean Tibbitts
Theses and Dissertations
This thesis poses a number of questions about the pioneers and their decendants: Where did the pioneer settlers of Providence come from? What skills and resources did they bring with them to "tame" the wilderness? Did they come as family units or as single men? What happened as the community grew and the resources were limited? Where did the settlers go or what did they do as the land became scarce? Was limited land the reason for the movement out of the community or were there other considerations? What effects did emigration have on the family ties of the second …
Minerva Teichert's Murals: The Motivation For Her Large-Scale Production, Marian Eastwood Wardle
Minerva Teichert's Murals: The Motivation For Her Large-Scale Production, Marian Eastwood Wardle
Theses and Dissertations
It is my thesis that the impetus for Minerva Teichert's prolific mural production came from the lofty ideals of the Beaux Art mural tradition which she encountered and embraced during her studies at the Art Institute of Chicago from 1909 to 1912. Furthermore, it was the great interest in mural decoration during the 1930s, spurred by government patronage, that provided Teichert with the opportunity to apply these ideals to large-scale works.
Research into the Beaux Art mural tradition has been difficult, as recent scholarship on the subject is negligible. An understanding of this early mural movement however, yields a greater …
An Examination Of The Mormon Settlement Of Syracuse, Utah, J. Kent Tucker
An Examination Of The Mormon Settlement Of Syracuse, Utah, J. Kent Tucker
Theses and Dissertations
The history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, commonly referred to as the "Mormon" church, has been well researched, yet little has been written about individual community histories. This work centers on the small Mormon community of Syracuse, Utah, located about twenty-five miles north of Salt Lake City on the eastern shore of the Great Salt Lake. From its inception in 1877 through 1987, the community of Syracuse continues to be dominated by the Latter-day Saint (Mormon) influence. This thesis examines the development of this LDS Church settlement, giving emphasis to the early history of the area, …
Hoary-Headed Saints: The Aged In Nineteenth-Century Mormon Culture, Brian D. Reeves
Hoary-Headed Saints: The Aged In Nineteenth-Century Mormon Culture, Brian D. Reeves
Theses and Dissertations
This study paints a picture of prevalent attitudes toward the Mormon elderly in the nineteenth century. It identifies some characteristics of the aged population, and discusses feelings expressed by individual older persons about different aspects of their lives. It is a first step in gaining a greater understanding of how they fit into the larger pictures of old age and the Mormon Church in nineteenth century America.
The Girl Scouts In Utah: An Administrative History, 1921-1985, Jennifer L. Lund
The Girl Scouts In Utah: An Administrative History, 1921-1985, Jennifer L. Lund
Theses and Dissertations
Girl Scouting began in Utah in 1921 out of a desire of several wealthy women to help build the character of young girls in Ogden. Exhibiting many elements of the "social gospel" aspect of progressivism, they adopted the Girl Scout program which emphasized preparation for practical living, appreciation of nature, and development of character.
Since the first troops were organized in Ogden, Girl Scouting slowly spread throughout the rest of the state, resulting in several Councils and Lone Troops. After responding to a call for consolidation from the National Girl Scout Council the Utah Scouts made a dramatic change in …
Judicial Prosecution Of Prisoners For Lds Plural Marriage: Prison Sentences, 1884-1895, Rosa Mae Mcclellan Evans
Judicial Prosecution Of Prisoners For Lds Plural Marriage: Prison Sentences, 1884-1895, Rosa Mae Mcclellan Evans
Theses and Dissertations
The practice of polygamy among the Mormons during the nineteenth century was vigorously prosecuted by the federal government in response to the demands of those whose political and economic goals could best be served through exploitation of the national attitude toward polygamy. Hundreds of men served prison terms for practicing what they believed was their religious obligation. This study of the sentences from the prison admission records has focused on the comparative severity of the judges, examines age as an influencing factor in sentencing, and compares the sentences of the polygamists with those for crimes against person and property.
The …
Women Homesteaders In Utah, 1869-1934, Jill Thorley Warnick
Women Homesteaders In Utah, 1869-1934, Jill Thorley Warnick
Theses and Dissertations
Much of Utah's history is the story of the relationship of humans and the land. Human perceptions of Utah's land have changed over time and affected the way it has been used. The homestead movement was an important phase in the use of Utah's land. Through federal settlement acts many Utahns obtained title to public land. This study is an attempt to learn more about the relationship between women and the land and about the lives of women in Utah.
The study is based on Utah land records from 1869-1934. Most homesteading activity in Utah took place during this period. …
Provo In The Jazz Age: A Case Study, Gary C. Kunz
Provo In The Jazz Age: A Case Study, Gary C. Kunz
Theses and Dissertations
Many historians have suggested in their writings that much of the social behavior that made the decade of the twenties unique had their origins in the urban centers, leaving the small towns taking no active participation in the Jazz Age.
The purpose of this paper is to show that Provo, Utah, a small, isolated community took a very active part in the Jazz Age, contrary to what has been suggested. There was a considerable quantity of drunkenness, bootlegging, wild dancing and partying in Provo during the decade, much more than historians suggest there should have been in a community the …
Storm Over The Summit: A Political History Of Summit County To 1882, Rodney L. Peck
Storm Over The Summit: A Political History Of Summit County To 1882, Rodney L. Peck
Theses and Dissertations
The purpose of this study was to gain a more complete understanding of Mormon politics in territorial Utah by studying the growth and development of the political process in Summit County to 1882.
The study suggests that the county was governed by a relatively small but growing group of politically minded men, many of whom also ecclesiastical trust or who were among the pioneers of the area. The study also suggests that the Mormon teaching of unity in all things and fair representation among county offices from the county's major population centers were the governing principles of Mormon political action …
Printed Maps Of Utah To 1900: An Annotated Cartobibliography, Riley Moore Moffat
Printed Maps Of Utah To 1900: An Annotated Cartobibliography, Riley Moore Moffat
Theses and Dissertations
Old maps are valuable research tools in many fields. Finding and identifying them, however, is often difficult. This annotated cartobibliography attempts to identify all maps of Utah printed before 1900. Entries give the distinguishing features, peculiarities, inaccuracies, and a general description as well as the map's provenance and citations in other lists and bibliographies.
The maps are listed chronologically and include all maps located in research collections in Utah, and in the catalogs of the Library of Congress and the Bancroft Library. Although the first entry is dated 1777, the first map of Utah made from actual observation, earlier maps …
Utah's Anti-Polygamy Society, 1878-1884, Barbara Hayward
Utah's Anti-Polygamy Society, 1878-1884, Barbara Hayward
Theses and Dissertations
The Anti-Polygamy Society was established in 1878 to try to encourage Congress to abolish the practice of plural marriage tn Utah Territory. In the brief time that it existed, the women of this Utah-based group sent petitions, circulars, and letters to Congress and many leaders of the country urging that laws be passed to end polygamy. Much of their work was also carried out in the society's newspaper, the Anti-polygamy Standard.
By the time that laws were passed that restricted polygamy, the Anti-polygamy Society no longer existed. Nonetheless, the society was important in the anti-polygamy crusade because it was …
Historic Preservation In Utah: 1960-1980, John W. Haggerty
Historic Preservation In Utah: 1960-1980, John W. Haggerty
Theses and Dissertations
Historic preservation in Utah from 1960 to 1980 has reflected major national trends and trends peculiar to Utah. The most important event which increased the influence of the federal government in preservation activities in Utah was the passage of the Federal Historic Preservation Act of 1966. This law influenced the Utah State Historical Society to become active in preservation in Utah. The battles to save the L. D. S. tabernacles in the 1960s and 1970s led to the formation of the Utah Heritage Foundation. This organization has been responsible for the heightened awareness of historic preservation in Utah. During the …
Mccarthyism In Utah, Richard Swanson
Mccarthyism In Utah, Richard Swanson
Theses and Dissertations
The exaggerated anti-Communist crusade of Senator Joseph McCarthy allegedly gained the support of a majority of Americans during the early 1950's. It is historically important and interesting to question that supposition by considering the character of McCarthy's following in each state. This study shows that in Utah sympathy for the second Red Scare abounded and evidences of McCarthyism were readily apparent.
Three indicators illustrate Utah's support for the Wisconsin senator. The defeat of Elbert Thomas in 1950 dramatically epitomizes the successful use of incriminating allegations effectively employed by McCarthy. The election, or re-election, of McCarthy supporters and the defeat of …
The History Of The Emery Stake Academy, Paul Robert Tabone
The History Of The Emery Stake Academy, Paul Robert Tabone
Theses and Dissertations
The purpose of this thesis is to provide a study of the early Church educational program in Southeastern Utah, especially the Emery County area. This study is to trace the growth and development of one aspect of this program from 1889 to 1922, and to lend special emphasis to the founding and location of the Emery Stake Academy, the buildings and their development, the growth of the curriculum, the enrollment, the activities, and the influence of the Academy upon the area.
The Settlement And Development Of Wayne County, Utah, To 1900, Aldus Devon Chappell
The Settlement And Development Of Wayne County, Utah, To 1900, Aldus Devon Chappell
Theses and Dissertations
Although John C. Fremont had traveled through Wayne County, Utah, in the winter of 1853-54, it was not until 1874 that the first herd of cattle was introduced to Rabbit Valley. Reports soon circulated that here was a new land, conducive to the raising of livestock, and in 1876 about a dozen families entered the valley and began settlement. Families that moved into this area came from various places. Each settler came to make a new life, and came independently of the others. In 1895 the population was nearly 2,000, and by 1970 it had dropped to 1,486.
The Church …