History Commons^™

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

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 …

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 …

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 …

Porter James Mccumber : Evolution Of A Senator, Amy Kathleen Rieger

Theses and Dissertations

Virtually nothing has been written about the early life and career of Porter James McCumber, who served North Dakota in the United States Senate from 1899-1922. Contributing to the lack of written material about the man is the fact that there are very few sources available concerning his social and political life. He left no official papers, and therefore no clear record of his life. The purpose of this thesis, then, is to illuminate the life and times of McCumber, with a special emphasis on his career in North Dakota through his election to the Senate in 1899. I will …

The Logistics Of Waging War 1982-1993, Alan J. Will, William G. Wheeler

Theses and Dissertations

This research effort provides material for use in updating the book The Logistics of Waging War. This particular book gives a logistics overview of part American Military conflicts but had not been update since 1982. Our objective was to research the logistics aspects of the major military operations since 1982. These operations included: Operation Urgent Fury in Grenada (1983), Operation Just Cause in Panama (1989), Operation Desert Shield in Saudi Arabia (1990), Operation Desert Storm in Iraq and Kuwait (1991), and Operation Desert Farewell in Saudi Arabia (1992). Also included in this study is a review of the Air Force …

African Americans In North Dakota 1800-1940, Stephanie Abbot Roper

Theses and Dissertations

African Americans were present throughout the duration of white settlement and have been involved in every stage of North Dakota's history from 1800 to 1940. However, historians generally have neglected the existence of black people in North Dakota's past. This study examined the participation by African Americans in North Dakota's social and economic history from 1800 to 1940. Further, the author explored the motivations for African Americans entering and settling in the state and the reasons why only slightly over two hundred black residents remained in 1940.

Chapter II centered on the movement of former slaves out of the "Black …

The Battle Of Little Round Top: An Analysis Of Battle Alternatives Through Commercial Wargames, John J. Mcguiness

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the problem of whether one can use commercial wargames as a tool for historical research. The research examines two wargames dealing with the battle of Little Round Top: Gettysburg: The Turning Point and Thunder at the Crossroads. This research emphasized the need to analyze the wargame's structure prior to playing the game. This will avoid a possible mistake of drawing a conclusion about a particular driver in the battle which may not be from the historical situation but rather an inevitable outcome produced by the model's basic assumptions. Additionally, quantitative measures of time lines, casualty rates, and …

Analysis Of U. S. Military Mobilizations, Demobilizations, And Peacetime Force Maintenance From 1890 To 1991, Gottfried Kloimwieder, Noel P. Owen

Theses and Dissertations

Military manpower management principles and policies are in constant flux as the military forces mobilize and demobilize during periods of war and peace. This study identifies trends in U.S. military manpower policies and procedures from 1890 to 1991. Major military conflicts reviewed are the Spanish- American War, World wars I and II, the Korean Conflict, the Vietnam War, and the Persian Gulf War. In all wars until Vietnam, post war active duty forces were larger than prewar forces. However, these active duty forces tended to be relatively small until the Cold War period. This tendency is driven by a combination …

Prairie Paupers: North Dakota Poor Farms, 1879-1973, Steven R. Hoffbeck

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the history of county poor farms in North Dakota and places them within the wider perspective of poor relief in the United States.

North Dakota inherited its system of poor relief from the Elizabethan and American colonial poor laws. Poorhouses were a part of poor relief practices that also included local responsibility, outdoor relief, indenture of paupers, the poor list, expulsion of non-resident paupers, pauper burial, discouragement of vagrancy, and family responsibility for the poor.

Chapter One outlines Elizabethan poor laws and poor relief in the American colonies. The increase in numbers of poor farms in the …

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.

Henry Lewis Benning: Fire-Eating Confederate General 1837-1865, Michael D. Chuites

Theses and Dissertations

In the thirty-year period preceding the American Civil War, some southern politicians advocated disunion. Prominent among these was a young lawyer from Columbus, Georgia, Henry Lewis Benning. Ambitious and keen on rising within planter society, Benning married well and used his position to further his political aims. Early in his career, Benning would be identified with the fire-eaters who preached disunion as a means of solving the South's problems. As a delegate to the several secession conventions, Henry Benning lent his organizational skills to promoting secession. When the American Civil War commenced, Benning was among the early volunteers, rising from …

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 …

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 …

The Norwegian Short-Term Parochial School (Religionsskole) In North Dakota Lutheran Congregations, 1880s-1930s, Erik Luther Williamson

Theses and Dissertations

Within the Norwegian-American community of the United States and North Dakota there is a memory of "Norwegian Schools" held mainly in summers. These schools taught the essence of Lutheranism with hymn singing, and Norwegian grammar and literature. These schools seemed pervasive in North Dakota, but there is little material on them.. General church histories neglected them; Sunday School seemed dominant. People who had attended or taught the Norwegian Schools in the early twentieth century were becoming fewer. It was appropriate to research the schools before recollection faded and significance waned.

Research began with anniversary pamphlets of Lutheran churches which affirmed …

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

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

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.

Wild Bill Goes To Washington : A Reassessment Of The Senate Career Of North Dakota's William Langer, Eric P. Bergeson

Theses and Dissertations

William Langer is firmly established as a legend in North Dakota history. The legend began during his controversial terms as attorney general (1916-1920) and governor (1932-1934 and 1936-1938). A maverick in the United States Senate after his election to the upper chamber in 1940, admirers saw him as a civil libertarian and a defender of the "common man." The loyalty and devotion of his constituents increased over the years because of his willingness to do favors for them and because of his considerable campaign skills. However, a study of his papers, the Congressional Record, and newspaper and magazine articles reveals …

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

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 …

Race Of The Century : Guy Vs. Young, 1974 North Dakota U.S. Senate Election, Allan C. Young

Theses and Dissertations

As the 1972-1974 election cycle began, Republican incumbent Milton Young, who had served in the U.S. Senate for twenty-seven years, decided to run for another term with realistic confidence in his ability to repeat prior election victories. His initial optimism began to erode as national Republican leaders questioned his ability to defeat his apparent opponent, former North Dakota Governor William L. Guy. Results of public opinion surveys added credibility to the perception of Young's weakness. Guy saw an opportunity to achieve his long-held goal of becoming a U.S. Senator and cautiously laid the groundwork for his campaign. As the two …

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

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 …

Colonial American Freemasonry And Its Development To 1770, Arthur F. Hebbeler Iii

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis is to examine the influence of Freemasonry as a social and cultural organization in the development of colonial America and the men who were active in the organization from its introduction to the colonies up to 1770. Since Freemasonry was the first fraternal organization established in the colonies, I wanted to see how, and if, it affected the attitudes and actions of its members during the pre-Revolutionary War years.

In preparing this thesis, I worked closely with lodges and Grand Lodges throughout the country. My research included physical inspection of a variety of Masonic documents …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

The Espionage And Sedition Acts 1917-1918: A North Dakota Analysis, Eric Furuseth

Theses and Dissertations

The period of World War I is also the time of Nonpartisan League control in North Dakota. The period is of extreme interest to historians of the state as North Dakota's:experiment with the radical government was unique in the nation at the . time and a marked departure from the state's own political traditions. On both sides of the political fence, Nonpartisan and conservative, a kind of extremism existed which was unusual within the state.

The United States government passed the Espionage and Sedition acts of 1917 and 1918 as a means of legally ensuring the patriotism of its citizens; …