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Smith, Calvin Schwartz, 1890-1966

 Person

Dates

  • Existence: 1890 - 1966

Biography

Calvin Schwartz Smith (1890-1966) was a son of LDS Church President Joseph F. Smith, chaplain during World War I, and leader in education in Utah.

Calvin Schwartz Smith was born on May 29, 1890, in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Joseph F. Smith and Mary Taylor Schwartz. In 1910 he was called to serve The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Swiss and German Mission, where he served until 1913. From 1915 to 1918, Smith served as an instructor at LDS College. On September 28, 1917, he married Ethel Lucile Dimond, and they had seven children together.

In February 1918, Smith was called to serve as an active duty army chaplain for the Ninety-First Infantry Division, and was to primarily look over the nearly 1,800 members of the Church in that division. He was one of three Latter-day Saints to be called to serve as chaplains during World War I. The other two were Herbert B. Maw and B. H. Roberts. Smith did have some combat experiences, often in medical units, and was wounded twice. Joseph F. Smith died before Calvin's return from the battlefields.

After his return from the war, Smith began a career in education. He attended the University of Utah, where he earned a master's degree in education. In 1924, he was appointed as superintendent of the Juab County School District in Nephi, Utah. In 1927, Smith left to earn his doctorate degree in education at the University of Chicago. After receiving his PhD, he taught education courses at the University of Utah.

In 1929 Smith was selected to serve as the superintendent of the Granite School District in Salt Lake County, where he served until 1939. In 1938, he was selected as a member of the first Salt Lake County Library Board. Smith also served on the Granite School District Board of Education for ten years, and was a member of the Salt Lake County Library Association a member of the executive board Utah State Library Association. A Granite School District elementary school in Taylorsville, Utah, and a branch of the Salt Lake County Library are named in his honor.

Calvin Schwartz Smith died June 15, 1966, in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Citation:
UPB files, Apr. 21, 2017 (Calvin Schwartz Smith. From 1915 to 1918, Smith served as an instructor at LDS College. After his return from the war, Smith began a career in education. He attended the University of Utah, where he earned a Master's degree in education. In 1924, he was appointed as superintendent of the Juab County School District in Nephi, Utah. In 1927, Smith left to earn his doctorate degree in education at the University of Chicago. After receiving he PhD, he taught education courses at the University of Utah. In 1929 Smith was selected to serve as the superintendent of the Granite School District in Salt Lake County, where he served until 1939. In 1938, he was selected as a member of the first Salt Lake County Library Board. Smith also served on the Granite School District Board of Education for ten years, and was a member of the Salt Lake County Library Association a member of the executive board Utah State Library Association.)

Early Missionaries, history.lds.org, Apr. 21, 2017 (born on May 29, 1890, in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Joseph F. Smith and Mary Taylor Schwartz; In 1910 he was called to serve the LDS Church in the Swiss and German Mission, where he served until 1913)

Find-a-grave.com, via WWW, Apr. 21, 2017 (On September 28, 1917, he married Ethel Lucile Dimond, and they had seven children together. died June 15, 1966, in Salt Lake City, Utah.)

"Joseph F. Smith and the First World War: Eventual Support and Latter-day Saint Chaplains," by Kenneth L. Alford, Religious Studies Center, accessed on WWW, Apr. 21, 2017 (In February 1918, Smith was called to serve as an active duty army chaplain for the Ninety-First Infantry Division, and was to primarily look over the nearly 1,800 members of the LDS Church in that division. He was one of three Latter-day Saints to be called to serve as chaplains during World War I. The other two were Herbert B. Maw and B. H. Roberts. Smith did have some combat experiences, often in medical units, and was wounded twice. Joseph F. Smith died before Calvin's return from the battlefields.)

Granite School District and Salt Lake County Library websites, via WWW, Apr. 21, 2017 (A Granite School District elementary school in Taylorsville, Utah, and a branch of the Salt Lake County Library are named in his honor.)

Found in 6 Collections and/or Records:

Calvin Schwartz Smith and Ethel Lucile Dimond Smith personal papers, 1906-1976

 Series
Identifier: MSS 8922 Series 2
Scope and Contents

Contains papers related to the personal life and accomplishments of Smith, and his wife Lucile. Includes awards and certificates for Calvin, and documents related to Lucile receiving the Utah Mother of the Year Award. Also includes letters from Philo T. Farnsworth and Victor L. Brown, and the missionary diary of Calvin. Dated 1906-1976.

Dates: 1906-1976

Calvin Schwartz Smith and Ethel Lucile Dimond Smith photographs, approximately 1890-1956

 Series
Identifier: MSS 8922 Series 3
Scope and Contents

Contains photographs taken or collected by Smith. Includes photographs and postcards from Smith's missionary service in Germany as well as his service as chaplain in World War I. Also includes images of Hyrum Mack Smith's graveside, Smith at Carthage Jail with Sydney B. Sperry, and the Calvin Smith family with his mother, Mary Taylor Schwartz Smith. Includes a family scrapbook and some negatives from the C. R. Savage Studio. Dated approximately 1890-1956.

Dates: approximately 1890-1956

Calvin Schwartz Smith artifacts, approximately 1914-1930

 Series
Identifier: MSS 8922 Series 4
Scope and Contents

Contains artifacts owned and used by Calvin Schwartz Smith. Dated approximately 1914-1930.

Dates: approximately 1914-1930

Calvin Schwartz Smith chaplain papers, 1917-1926

 Series
Identifier: MSS 8922 Series 1
Scope and Contents

Contains records related to Smith's service as chaplain during World War I. Contains a blessing given by his father prior to his military service, an order book, three volumes of reminiscenses, a dog tag, a roster of soldiers from Utah in Smith's division, correspondence, and miscellaneous documents. Dated 1917-1926.

Dates: 1917-1926

Ethel Lucile Dimond Smith family papers, 1876-1935

 Series
Identifier: MSS 8922 Series 5
Scope and Contents

Series includes documents related to the parents, siblings, and ancestors of Ethel Lucile Dimond Smith, including primarily the Thomas Dimond and Samuel Bennion families. Includes letters, deeds, photographs, newspaper clippings, and ephemera. Dates 1876-1935.

Dates: 1876-1935

Calvin Schwartz Smith and Ethel Lucile Dimond Smith papers

 Collection
Identifier: MSS 8922
Scope and Contents Materials include items created or collected by Calvin and Lucile Smith. Most of the items relate to Calvin's time as Chaplain of the 91st Infantry Division during World War I. Also includes some personal papers from his time as an educator in Utah, his missionary diary, family history records, and family photographs. Includes a few items related to Calvin's wife, Lucile, when she was selected as "Utah Mother of the Year" in 1967, a year after Calvin Smith's death, and papers related to her...
Dates: 1876-1976

Additional filters:

Type
Archival Object 5
Collection 1
 
Subject
Military 5
Politics, Government, and Law 5
World War, 1914-1918 5
Photographs 3
Certificates 2