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Samuel Bateman papers

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS 128

Scope and Contents

Contains materials documenting Samuel Bateman's personal and family life. Included are some of Bateman's handwritten diaries for the years 1886-1888, 1899-1901, and 1901-1909. Also included are typescripts, microfilm, and scanned copies of these diaries, and typescripts of some correspondence to and from Samuel Bateman, dated 1868-1886. His correspondence discusses guarding John Taylor and his friendship with Wilford Woodruff, who were both Presidents of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and other personal and family matters.

A typescript of a biography of Samuel Bateman written by James A. Oliver is also included. Also includes edited and annotated versions of transcriptions of Samuel Bateman journal and letters, and James Oliver's biography of Bateman, edited by Mark Burkinshaw, a great-great grandson of Samuel Bateman. Also includes "The Life and Times of Samuel Bateman" - a biography of Bateman by Burkinshaw using excerpts from Bateman's journals that are annotated by Burkinshaw in 2016.

The collection is dated 1868-2016.

Dates

  • 1868-2016

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Condition restricted; permission to use items must be obtained from the Supervisor of Reference Services. Patrons should use typescripts, microfilm, and CD reproductions.

Conditions Governing Use

It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances. Permission to publish material from Samuel Bateman papers must be obtained from the Supervisor of Reference Services and/or the L. Tom Perry Special Collections Coordinating Committee.

Biographical History

Samuel Bateman (1832-1911) was a Mormon polygamist who served as a guard to the third president of the Mormon Church, John Taylor, and who was a friend to the fourth president of the Mormon Church, Wilford Woodruff.

Samuel Bateman was born July 1, 1832, in Manchester, England to Thomas Bateman and Mary Street. His father joined the Mormon Church in 1838 and emigrated to Nauvoo, Illinois, in 1839. Bateman's family arrived in Utah in 1850, and Samuel volunteered to go on a mission to Iron County that December. On November 27, 1854 he married Marinda Allen. Bateman was called to raise a platoon of soldiers in September 1857 to confront Johnston's army, and the platoon joined others at Fort Bridger, Wyoming. Led by Lot Smith, these soldiers confronted the army wagon train, burned wagons, ran off livestock, and succeeded in stalling the army from entering the Salt Lake Valley. Later Bateman returned home, but was appointed to watch the army’s movements as the Saints prepared to move south. In the spring of 1861, he accompanied Brigham Young and others to visit the settlements of southern Utah. Bateman attended the "School of the Prophets" in 1868, and in 1870 he was asked to accompany Brigham Young on a trip to settlements in northern Utah. He married a second wife, Harriet Egbert, in 1871. Bateman later served as guard to John Taylor, third president of the Mormon Church, and was with him during the anti-polygamy raids and his death in July 1887 in Kaysville, Utah. He also served as a guard and friend to Wilford Woodruff, who succeeded John Taylor as president of the Mormon Church. From 1888-1889, Bateman served a term in the Utah penitentiary for plural marriage. For work, he was a brick and adobe maker, mason, miller, farmer, and had many other trades. Bateman served as superintendent of the Sunday School in the West Jordan Ward and later as senior president of the 33rd quorum of the Seventy. He died on January 23, 1911, of Bright's disease.

Biographical History

James A. Oliver (1861-1941) was a schoolteacher in Utah.

James Albert Oliver was born on July 2, 1861 in South Jordan, Utah to James Oliver and Maria Dalley. He married Emma Mary Ann Holt (1866-1934) on December 14, 1882 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Together they had seven children. He taught school in Bountiful before settling in Provo, Utah. Oliver died in Nephi, Utah on February 7, 1941.

Biographical / Historical

Mark Burkinshaw is an author and descendant of Samuel Bateman (1832-1911), bodyguard for President John Taylor.

Extent

1 box (0.5 linear ft.)

5 folders (0.2 linear ft.)

Language of Materials

English

Custodial History

According to the typescript, the original journals were in the hands of Juliaetta Bateman Jensen, Samuel Bateman and Marinda Allen's daughter, at the time the typescript was created. At some point in time afterwards, the original diaries were donated to the repository. A digital copy of the journal on CD was donated by Scott Howell in 2007.

Additional material was donated by Mark Burkinshaw, a great-great-grandson of Samuel Bateman, in 2016.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Digital copy of original diaries on compact donated (Box 1, folder 9); Scott Howell; 2007. Additional material donated; Mark Burkinshaw; 2016.

Appraisal

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

Processing Information

Processed; Amy Perez; 2011.

Updated and revised; Ryan K. Lee; 2013.

Added material and updated; Sadie Julian; November 2017.

Title
Register of Samuel Bateman papers
Status
Completed
Author
Amy Perez
Date
2011 February 28
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