Skip to main content

Biographical sketch of the life of John Gibbs Smith

 Collection
Identifier: MSS 9004

Scope and Contents

Contains a biographical sketch of John Gibbs Smith by his brother Ralph Gibbs Smith, including his family's ranch in Hoytsville and his career as a police officer, both in Provo and Salt Lake City. Dated approximately 1948.

Dates

  • approximately 1948

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Open for public research.

Conditions Governing Use

It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances. Permission to publish material from the Biographical sketch of the life of John Gibbs Smith must be obtained from the Supervisor of Reference Services and/or the L. Tom Perry Special Collections Coordinating Committee.

Biographical History

John Gibbs Smith was the great-grandson of Hyrum Smith.

He was born on September 1, 1883 in Brigham City, Utah to Hyrum Fischer Smith and Annie Hannah Maria Gibbs. He grew up mainly in Hoytsville, Utah, the third of nine children. After graduating from school in Hoytsville, he attended B.Y.U. Academy before being expelled. The Smith family moved to Provo, Utah in 1901. John Gibbs Smith married Martha Sophia Robey on March 27, 1903, but the couple divorced in August of the same year, following the birth of Martha's son with another man. John worked as an electrician for the next ten years. On May 10, 1909 Smith married Hannah Johnson in Provo, Utah. The couple had one daughter together, but Hannah died in childbirth. In 1912, Smith married Aretta Elvira Francum on March 12. The couple had three children together, and moved to Los Angeles, CA where they lived until 1914. That year, the Smith family moved to Salt Lake City, where John worked at the Salt Lake City Police department until his retirement in 1936. John retired to Pasadena, California, where he died on September 28, 1948.

Biographical History

Ralph Gibbs Smith was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a prominent Utah business man.

He was born on the 17th of October, 1899 in Hoytsville, Utah to Hyrum Fisher Smith and Annie Maria Smith. The family raised alfalfa, grain, potatoes, and other vegetables, but his father Hyrum also raised cattle and horses. His family lived in Hoytsville until 1901, when the family moved to Provo. They lived in two different rented houses there before finally buying a story and a half adobe house on West Third South Street. Ralph became acquainted with the Native Indian tribes at an early age, when they would camp in front of his parents' home and enjoy their company. He spent much more time living with them whilst serving an LDS mission in the Northwestern States from 1919 to 1921. After his mission, on June 4th, 1924 he married Geneva Haycock in the Salt Lake Temple. Their daughter, Shirley Smith, was born September 25th, 1926; and shortly afterwards they moved to Salt Lake City. He worked there as an assistant promotion manager in the Newspaper Agency Corporation, and retired in 1964. Ralph died on the 12th of April, 1980 in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Extent

1 folder (0.01 linear ft.)

Language of Materials

English

Custodial History

John Gibbs Smith is E. Gary Smith's great-great grandfather. Ralph Gibbs Smith is E. Gary Smith's great-great grandfather's brother. Hyrum Gibbs Smith is E. Gary Smith's grandfather. The item was handed down through the family to E. Gary Smith and he donated the sketch in 2017.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Donated; E. Gary Smith; April 6, 2017.

Appraisal

LDS and Utah and the American West cultural, social, and religious history (19th Century Mormon and Western Manuscripts collection development policy IV.a.i.1 and 4, November 2013).

Processing Information

Processed; Jace Packer and Giselle McIntire, student manuscript processors, and Ryan K. Lee, curator; 2017

Title
Register of Biographical sketch of the life of John Gibbs Smith
Status
Completed
Author
Giselle McIntire
Date
2017 June 14
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.

Repository Details

Part of the L. Tom Perry Special Collections Repository

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