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Smoot, Abraham Owen, 1856-1911

 Person

Dates

  • Existence: 1856 - 1911

Biographical History

Abraham Owen Smoot II (1856-1911) was an LDS missionary, businessman in Provo, Utah, and son of the Utah pioneer A. O. Smoot.

Abraham Owen Smoot II was born on March 11, 1856 in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Abraham Owen Smoot and Diana Tanner Eldredge. When Abraham was eleven years old his family moved to Provo, Utah, where his father was serving as town mayor and stake president of the Utah Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As a youth Abraham attended Brigham Young Academy under the tutelage of Karl G. Maeser, and was among the first to graduate from that institution. At the age of seventeen Abraham and his friend, William Paxman, started their own business, the Paxman & Smoot Lumber Company.

At the age of nineteen Abraham was called to serve a mission to Great Britain for the LDS Church. After arriving in England, Abraham was assigned to the London Conference and served as its unofficial clerk and secretary. His friend from home, William Paxman, presided over the conference, and the two worked together as companions for much of their missions.

After returning from Great Britain, Abraham married Electa Bullock, also from Provo, in Salt Lake City on October 30, 1878; they were blessed with six children, two sons and four daughters. He returned to the lumber business and managed the newly-formed Smoot Lumber Company until 1896. During this time he also served as county assessor for eight years and as a representative to the upper house of the territorial legislature for one term. Tragically, Electa died in 1887 at the young age of twenty-eight; Abraham remarried in 1893 to Zina A. Huntington, who bore him one daughter.

After Utah gained its statehood, Abraham was elected to the state house of representatives for one term and to the state senate for two terms. In this latter position he occupied the post of floor leader for the Democratic Party, and initiated new legislation on inheritance, railroads, and other issues. He also at various times served as Provo City councilman, secretary of the Territorial Insane Asylum, United States commissioner, and trustee for the State Agricultural College. Ecclesiastically, he held the callings of home missionary and high councilman for the Utah Stake. On May 22, 1911, Abraham Owen Smoot II suddenly passed away from uremic poisoning after a throat operation in the local hospital in Provo, Utah.

Citation:
UPB files, Dec. 9, 2016 (Abraham Owen Smoot II)

Mormon Missionary Diaries, About the Diarists, via WWW, Dec. 9, 2016 (born on March 11, 1856 in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Abraham Owen Smoot and Diana Tanner Eldredge; when eleven years old his family moved to Provo, where his father was serving as town mayor and stake president of the Utah Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; attended Brigham Young Academy under the tutelage of Karl G. Maeser; was among the first to graduate from that institution; at the age of seventeen Abraham and his friend, William Paxman, started their own business, the Paxman & Smoot Lumber Company; at the age of nineteen Abraham was called to serve a mission to Great Britain for the Church; after arriving in England, Abraham was assigned to the London Conference and served as its unofficial clerk and secretary; his friend from home, William Paxman, presided over the conference, and the two worked together as companions for much of their missions; after returning from Great Britain, Abraham married Electa Bullock, also from Provo, in Salt Lake City on October 30, 1878; had six children, two sons and four daughters; returned to the lumber business and managed the newly-formed Smoot Lumber Company until 1896; also served as county assessor for eight years and as a representative to the upper house of the territorial legislature for one term; Electa died in 1887; Abraham remarried in 1893 to Zina A. Huntington, who bore him one daughter; in 1896 was elected to the state house of representatives for one term and to the state senate for two terms; in this latter position he occupied the post of floor leader for the Democratic Party, and initiated new legislation on inheritance, railroads, and other issues; also at various times served as Provo City councilman, secretary of the Territorial Insane Asylum, United States commissioner, and trustee for the State Agricultural College; held church callings of home missionary and high councilman for the Utah Stake; died on May 22, 1911, from uremic poisoning after a throat operation in the local hospital)

Found in 1 Collection or Record:

A. O. Smoot family documents, 1815-1961

 Series
Identifier: MSS 3843 Series 3
Scope and Contents

Contains receipts, diaries, poetry, account and memo books, certificates and other personal documents, autograph books, invitations, bank notes and warranty deeds, speeches, periodicals, letters, IOUs, and newspaper clippings. Materials are dated approximately 1815 to 1961.

Dates: 1815-1961

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