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A Naturalistic Study Of The History Of Mormon Quilts And Their Influence On Today's Quilters, Helen-Louise Hancey Jan 1996

A Naturalistic Study Of The History Of Mormon Quilts And Their Influence On Today's Quilters, Helen-Louise Hancey

Theses and Dissertations

This interpretive study investigated the "quilt" and its significance to Latter-day Saint Women. Mormon master quilters were chosen because of their knowledge of fabrics, patterns, and symbolism, their skill levels, and their intense interest in quilting. The researcher conducted interviews with the master quilters from July 1995 to April 1996. Field notes were taken and data concerning both observed actions and verbal comments regarding the importance of the quilt were collected, charted, coded, and analyzed.

Several dominant patterns and themes emerged from analyses of the data, including: quilting is an enjoyable and active art form among Mormon women, pattern selection …


"Yet I Must Submit": Mormon Women's Perspectives On Death And Dying 1847-1900, Julie Paige Hemming Savage Jan 1995

"Yet I Must Submit": Mormon Women's Perspectives On Death And Dying 1847-1900, Julie Paige Hemming Savage

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores Mormon women's experiences with death as revealed in their personal writings from 1847-1900. The study includes an examination of women's involvement in caring for the sick and tending to the dead, as well as an exploration of women's personal reactions to death. A careful reading of Mormon women's writings from this period reveals that Mormonism equipped believers with powerful doctrines and rituals which helped women cope with the sorrow and profound grief that accompanied the deaths of those they loved. In addition, members living in Mormon communities rendered invaluable physical, emotional, and spiritual support to each other …


Mormon Opposition Literature: A Historiographical Critique And Case Study, 1844-57, William P. Connors Jan 1994

Mormon Opposition Literature: A Historiographical Critique And Case Study, 1844-57, William P. Connors

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is in three parts. The first part looks at the historical scholarship on writings opposed to Mormonism, especially those from the nineteenth century. The conclusion is that, despite hundreds of works written against Mormonism in its early years, the historical scholarship has not done justice to the writings or people involved. The vast majority of the writings and writers have not been analyzed, and those that are discussed are usually the most sensational and not representative of the genre.

The second part of this thesis is a a case study giving an example of the kind of work …


Wendell J. Ashton: Advocate, Publisher, Civic Leader, Val L. Peterson Jan 1994

Wendell J. Ashton: Advocate, Publisher, Civic Leader, Val L. Peterson

Theses and Dissertations

Wendell J. Ashton has been described as a pacesetter in the communications field in the Intermountain West. He was a trailblazer in public relations in the early days of his career at Gillham Advertising. His life has been filled with challenges such as publisher of the Deseret News, director of the LDS Church Communications Department, principal in Gillham Advertising, and various civic and community activities.

Ashton's communications career was one of innovator and pioneer as he helped forge the public relations industry in the Intermountain West. His career has followed in the footsteps of many other professionals such as …


The Mormons In Wilhelmie Germany, 1870-1914: Making A Place For An Unwanted American Religion In A Changing German Society, Michael Mitchell Jan 1994

The Mormons In Wilhelmie Germany, 1870-1914: Making A Place For An Unwanted American Religion In A Changing German Society, Michael Mitchell

Theses and Dissertations

Between 1853 and 1914 the kingdom of Prussia and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Mormons, disagreed over the issue of Mormon missionaries proselyting in Prussia. In 1853 royal magistrates banished all Mormon missionaries from the kingdom for advocating emigration. A new church policy of preaching without seeking for official permission, in addition to an improved relationship between the Mormons in Utah and the United States government after the Manifesto of 1890, led to an increase in missionaries sent to Germany, including Prussia. By 1900 mormon success alarmed the Prussian Protestant clergy and a few Prussian governors …


"A Little Oasis In The Desert": Community Building In Hurricane, Utah, 1860-1930, W. Paul Reeve Jan 1994

"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 …


Family Life Education In The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints In The 20th Century: A Historical Review, Ray W. Stringham Jan 1992

Family Life Education In The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints In The 20th Century: A Historical Review, Ray W. Stringham

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis reviewed selected educational literature in almost 350 texts published by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormon) from General Authorities and manuals which included content curriculum in adult family life education; for the adult women's organization (Relief Society); for the men's Melchizedek Priesthood; and for parents instructing their children at home (Family Home Evening).

Topics were ranked by century, according to frequencies of occurrence (FO) in the five major publications. Topics were also summarized by each decade. Tables were provided which summarized the top 40 of 78 topics identified. Recurring Themes suggest family is the basis …


Aberrant Mormon Settlers: The Homesteaders Of Highland, Utah, David T. Durfey Jan 1992

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 Jan 1992

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 …


An Examination Of Mt. Pleasant, Utah, 1859-1939, Joseph G. Richardson Jan 1991

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.


Mormons And Germany, 1914-1933: A History Of The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints In Germany And Its Relationship With The German Governments From World War I To The Rise Of Hitler, Jeffery L. Anderson Jan 1991

Mormons And Germany, 1914-1933: A History Of The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints In Germany And Its Relationship With The German Governments From World War I To The Rise Of Hitler, Jeffery L. Anderson

Theses and Dissertations

This paper focuses on the Church's struggle in establishing itself in Germany with cultural, social, political and religious problems. The cultural and social problems focus primarily on the interaction between Mormon-American missionaries and leaders who preached Mormonism in a society somewhat different from their own. The political problems concern historical events such as the first world war, the inflation of 1923 in Germany, and the rise of Hitler, while the religious problems focus on the Church's interaction with other faiths who generally opposed it and the struggle of missionaries to establish congregations.


Utah Indians And The Indian Slave Trade: The Mormon Adoption Program And Its Effect On The Indian Slaves, Robert M. Muhlestein Jan 1991

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.


The Development Of The Smelting Industry In The Central Salt Lake Valley Communities Of Midvale, Murray, And Sandy Prior To 1900, Charles E. Hughes Jan 1990

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 …


A Community Study Of Coalville, Utah, 1859-1914, Norma Eileen Pyper Thompson Jan 1990

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 And Failure Of Historic Agricultural Communities Of Utah: A Case Study Of Johns Valley, Utah, Wayne R. Shelley Jan 1989

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 …


Saints In The Secular City: A History Of The Los Angeles Stake, Chad M. Orton Jan 1989

Saints In The Secular City: A History Of The Los Angeles Stake, Chad M. Orton

Theses and Dissertations

Beginning in 1847 and continuing to the turn of the century, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) were encouraged to gather to Utah, where they formed communities seperated from the evils of the world around them. While Mormonism continues to be closely associated with Utah, in 1989 it is a world-wide church with nearly seven million members, most residing outside of Utah, and many of these in major urban areas. Nevertheless, few studies have been made of how the Church has developed outside of Utah.

When the Los Angeles Stake was organized in 1923, it …


Minerva Teichert's Murals: The Motivation For Her Large-Scale Production, Marian Eastwood Wardle Jan 1988

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 …


Thomas Bullock: A Man Doing His Duty, Jerald F. Simon Jan 1988

Thomas Bullock: A Man Doing His Duty, Jerald F. Simon

Theses and Dissertations

Thomas Bullock was intimately associated with leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for more than twenty-five years. He served twenty-one years in the Church Historian's office and also clerked in many city, county, and territorial positions, acting as scribe, clerk, and personal secretary to Joseph Smith Jr., Brigham Young, Willard Richards, and the Twelve Apostles. During this time he was privy to important events of late Nauvoo and early Utah Mormon history. His was a critical role in not only recording the history, but also in the gathering and preservation of historical documents. As a clerk …


Study Of The Pioneers Of Providence, Utah And Their Children, Hazel Mclean Tibbitts Jan 1988

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 …


The First London Mormons: 1840-1845: "What Am I And My Brethren Here For?", Lynne Watkins Jorgensen Jan 1988

The First London Mormons: 1840-1845: "What Am I And My Brethren Here For?", Lynne Watkins Jorgensen

Theses and Dissertations

Historians have determined that the visit to London by the early missionary-apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was the greatest disappointment of their proselyting careers. This thesis shows that, though the mission to London was not numerically successful considering the potential conversion, it appealed to the dynamic, energetic, "middling-class" religious seeker who was produced by the strong nonconformist movement indigenous to London. A specific nonconformist group is identified as responding to the preaching of the early apostles. This thesis demonstrates that those few converts kept the Church alive in London during difficult years. It also shows …


Mormons In Victorian England, Jan G. Harris Jan 1987

Mormons In Victorian England, Jan G. Harris

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is a study of the members of the Manchester Branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1838 – 1860. It is a social examination of the converts and reveals that Manchester Mormons were prototypes of many members who joined the Church throughout England.

Most Mormons were young, and were baptized in their twenties or early thirties. Many were single. The Mormon congregation was representative of the working class citizenry of town. Almost all worked with their hands. Living conditions varied. Some members were affluent by working class standards and some barely survived. However, the …


Hiram Page: An Historical And Sociological Analysis Of An Early Mormon Prototype, Bruce G. Stewart Jan 1987

Hiram Page: An Historical And Sociological Analysis Of An Early Mormon Prototype, Bruce G. Stewart

Theses and Dissertations

Recent sociological studies propose a model for understanding early Mormonism in its cultural context. Such models, while experimental, suggest commonalities between Mormonism and contemporary millennial sects. Enthusiastic beginnings, early convert response to American millennialism, the containment of charisma through institutionalization, discomfiture of Mormon millenial expectation, and the process of apostasy within the church provide the parameters of this study.

The life of Hiram Page, an early convert, is used as a foil to this end. Page is prototypal of the original band of followers who were attracted to Joseph Smith. Drawn to Joseph for spiritual comfort, Page and his associates …


John Nock Hinton: The Reconstructed Life Of An English Born Mormon Convert Of Virgin City, Utah, Lenora Atkin Meeks Jan 1987

John Nock Hinton: The Reconstructed Life Of An English Born Mormon Convert Of Virgin City, Utah, Lenora Atkin Meeks

Theses and Dissertations

John Nock Hinton, an Englishman, was converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Birmingham, Warwickshire, England in 1856. The motivating factor in his life, thereafter, was his strong conviction that the Church was the literal kingdom of God on the earth, and its leaders were God's prophets, and its mission was to usher in the last dispensation on the earth, the Millennium, and the second coming of the Savior. His duty, as he saw it, was to labor unceasingly to help accomplish that mission, to work out his own salvation, and to teach his children the …


An Examination Of The Mormon Settlement Of Syracuse, Utah, J. Kent Tucker Jan 1987

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 Jan 1987

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.


John C. Freemont's Expeditions Into Utah: An Historical Analysis Of The Explorer's Contributions And Significance To The Region, Alexander L. Baugh Dec 1986

John C. Freemont's Expeditions Into Utah: An Historical Analysis Of The Explorer's Contributions And Significance To The Region, Alexander L. Baugh

Theses and Dissertations

John Charles Fremont conducted five expeditions to the West during a period of twelve years (1842-1854). On four occasions, during three of these expeditions (1843-1844, 1845, and 1854), the explorer entered the Utah region. His explorations in northern Utah in 1843 focused primarily on the scientific analysis and survey of the Great Salt Lake. In 1844, Fremont again entered the Utah area and made scientific observations and calculations about the region, including accurately defining the geographic region known as the Great Basin, the name given it by Fremont. In 1845, Fremont proceeded through Utah while enroute to California and spent …


Judicial Prosecution Of Prisoners For Lds Plural Marriage: Prison Sentences, 1884-1895, Rosa Mae Mcclellan Evans Jan 1986

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 …


From Babylon To Zion: The Life Of William Mclachlan, A British Convert To The Mormon Church, Winifred Morse Mclachlan Jan 1986

From Babylon To Zion: The Life Of William Mclachlan, A British Convert To The Mormon Church, Winifred Morse Mclachlan

Theses and Dissertations

William McLachlan, a Scotsman, was converted to the L. D. S. Church, in Braintree, Essex, England in 1859. The motivating factor in his life was his faith that Joseph Smith was a prophet to whom the Lord had restored the precepts of the original Christian church. His journals, his letters, his speeches, his life, were oriented toward one ultimate goal, to build the Kingdom of God and to gain a place for himself and his family in that kingdom.
This thesis is a biography of his life and examines his emigration to Zion, his settlement and adjustment to the frontier, …


The Girl Scouts In Utah: An Administrative History, 1921-1985, Jennifer L. Lund Jan 1986

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 …


A History Of The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints In Japan From 1948 To 1980, Terry G. Nelson Jan 1986

A History Of The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints In Japan From 1948 To 1980, Terry G. Nelson

Theses and Dissertations

The history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Japan from 1948 to 1980 is a study in cross-cultural interaction. Compared to the earlier attempts of the Church in proselytizing the Japanese in the period 1901 to 1924, there are some significant contrasts. The earlier mission is seen as an attempt by a small, relatively unknown, provincial religion, in financial straits, just emerging into the twentieth century, trying to establish itself in a non-christian, fiercely nationalistic, culturally closed nation.

From very humble beginnings, starting with second and third generation Japanese in Hawaii, and with LDS members of …