Skip to main content

Charles W. Hardy papers

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS 997

Scope and Contents note

The collection consists of the following, arranged in order listed: Correspondence, diaries, financial records, legal documents, irrigation and canal documents, pipeline descriptions, railroad advertisements, building receipts, legal documents, cross section notes, estimates of grading, survey notes, level notes, transit notes and alignment notes from the following railroads: Denver and Rio Grande Western, Emigration Canyon, Salt Lake and Eastern, Salt Lake and Fort Douglas, Salt Lake and Los Angeles, Utah Central, Utah Southern and Wasatch and Jordan Valley. Charles Hardy generated most of this material in his work as a civil engineer and county surveyor. Some papers of his father and other family members are also included in the collection.

Dates

  • 1874-1917

Creator

Conditions Governing Access note

Open for public research.

Conditions Governing Use note

It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances.

Permission to publish material from the Charles W. Hardy papers must be obtained from the Supervisor of Reference Services and/or the Special Collections Board of Curators.

Biographical History

Mormon civil engineer in Utah who worked on railroads.

Charles W. Hardy was born July 28, 1842 in Groveland, Essex County, Massachusetts. With his parents, Josiah G. Hardy and Sarah Clark Parker, he immigrated to Utah in 1852. After moving west, the Hardys experienced the difficulties of the grasshopper famine of 1855-1856 and the southern flight from Salt Lake City in 1857 during the Utah War. After arriving in Utah, Charles worked with his father for ten years on their farm.

Charles was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and held numerous positions throughout his life. He was ordained an elder in 1862 and a seventy in 1870. In 1875, he was set apart as first counselor in the first YMMIA of the Salt Lake Twelfth Ward and three years later he was appointed to help form a central organization for the YMMIA of the Salt Lake Stake. He served as a missionary in the southern states in 1878-1879 and after returning was called to the presidency of the eighth quorum of the Seventies in 1894. He then served as first counselor in the Salt Lake Twelfth Ward Bishopric in 1904.

Hardy married Marinda Andrus on March 31, 1873, in Salt Lake City, Utah and to their union were born fourteen children as follows: Lucy May, Allen R. Cutler, Sarah Alice, Sther Esplin, Marinda Maude, Matthew Spiers, Mary Edna (died), Charles Jesse, Clarice Harding, Minnie Viola, Harry Gillett, Bertha Andrus, Nephi Reynolds and Cynthia.

Several years after his marriage to Marinda, Hardy married Bertha Starley on November 28, 1878. Together they had three children: William Henry, Joseph Stephen Starley, and Le Roy.

Charles Hardy was a civil engineer. He started as a blacksmith's apprentice on April 7, 1862 for Hinkly and Stewarts firm. On May 7, 1869, he worked at the inaugural services of the Utah Central Railroad. He continued with Utah Central Railroad until March 19, 1870. From then until 1878, he served as County Surveyor of Salt Lake County. He then served two years in the office as assistant territorial surveyor general. On April 3, 1871 he was appointed first engineer of the Utah Southern Railroad and was made chief engineer of the Western Jordan Valley Railroad on November 13, 1872. In much of his railroad work, Hardy was associated with John W. Young. He was chief manager and superintendent of construction of the Salt Lake and Fort Douglas Railroad under Young, who was well known in Utah history for his building of and speculating in railroads.

Extent

8 boxes (4 linear ft.)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

Correspondence, diaries, financial records, legal documents, irrigation and canal documents, pipeline descriptions, railroad advertisements, receipts, and notes. The materials relate largely to Hardy's work on railroads and other projects.

Arrangement note

The collection can be divided into 11 series: 1. Charles W. Hardy correspondence, 1874-1914; 2. Charles W. Hardy diaries, 1864-1869; 3. Charles W. Hardy financial records, 1872-1917; 4. Charles W. Hardy legal documents, 1883-1890; 5. Charles W. Hardy irrigation and canal documents, 1905-1910; 6. Charles W. Hardy pipeline documents; 7. Charles W. Hardy railroads documents, 1872-1889; 8. Josiah G. Hardy papers, 1856-1872; 9. Minnie Hardy papers; 10. Charles W. Hardy oversize material; and 11. Charles W. Hardy photographs.

Other Finding Aids note

While this finding aid provides only a series and sub-series level description, a more detailed finding aid is available in print at the L.Tom Perry Special Collections reference desk.

Other Finding Aids

File-level inventory available online. http://files.lib.byu.edu/ead/XML/MSS997.xml

Custodial History note

Purchased by the Harold B. Lee Library in 1971 and re-processed in 1983.

Immediate Source of Acquisition note

Purchased; 1971.

Appraisal note

19th Century Western and Mormon Manuscripts.

Collection provides additional insight into civil engineering, surveying, and the development of railroads in Utah, thereby supporting the collecting focus on western American business and labor history.

Separated Materials note

Photographs have been transferred to Photoarchives. Miscellaneous notes and scrap papers were discarded.

Processing Information note

Processed; Dennis Rowley & Alice Hauser; March 1983.

Title
Register of the Charles W. Hardy papers
Status
Completed
Author
Dennis Rowley & Alice Hauser
Date
1983 March
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
Finding aid written in English in Latin script.
Sponsor
Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant, 2007-2008

Repository Details

Part of the L. Tom Perry Special Collections Repository

Contact:
1130 HBLL
Brigham Young University
Provo Utah 84602 United States