Skip to main content

A. O. Smoot family papers

 Collection
Identifier: MSS 3843

Scope and Contents

The A. O. Smoot family papers consists of correspondence, publications, genealogy records, journals, account books, receipts, and related ephemera. The collection covers several generations and family members of the Smoot Family. Materials are dated 1815 to 1961.

Dates

  • 1815-1961

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 use material from this collection must be obtained from Reference Services at specialcollections@byu.edu.

Biographical History

Abraham Owen Smoot was born February 17, 1815 in Owenton, Franklin (later Owen County), Kentucky to Nancy Ann Rowlett (1787-1871) and George Washington Smoot (1785-1824). He was baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at age twenty and thereafter became a major figure in its history. He served nine missions; led a group of Saints from the South to Far West, Missouri; was captain of the second company of Saints to enter the Salt Lake Valley; served as President of the Perpetual Emigration Fund in 1852; and acted as Mayor of Salt Lake for ten years and of Provo for twelve. He is particularly recognized for his roll in shaping Provo and fostering the success of Brigham Young Academy, now Brigham Young University. Abraham O. Smoot died in Provo on March 6, 1895, arguably the most influential man in Utah County, Utah.

Biographical History

Abraham Owen Smoot was born February 17, 1815, to George W. Smoot and Ann Rowlett of Owenton, Kentucky. He was a Mormon pioneer, mayor of both Salt Lake City and Provo, Utah, and an early supporter of Brigham Young Academy. On November 11, 1838, in the aftermath the siege, Smoot married Maragret Thompson McMeans. Over the course of his life, he took five additional wives: Sarah Gibbens and Emily Hill in 1846, Diana Caroline Tanner Eldredge in 1855, Anne Kristine Mauritzen in 1856, and Hannah Caroline Rogers. He had twenty-seven children, three of whom were adopted. Among his most notable children was Reed Smoot, Brigham Smoot, Ida Smoot Dusenberry, and Zina Beal Smoot.

Reed Smoot (1862-1941) was a Utah politician, Senator, successful businessman and an apostle of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and son of Anne Kristine Mauritzen and Abraham Smoot. On September 17, 1884, Reed married Alpha M. Eldredge who was the daughter of Mormon pioneers named General Horace Sunderlin Eldredge and Chloe Anoinette Refield Eldredge. Together Reed and Alpha had 6 children. After her death in 1928, Reed married Alice Taylor Sheets.

Brigham Smoot (1869-1946) was another son of Anne Kristine Mauritzen and Abraham Smoot, a businessman and missionary in Tonga.

Ida Smoot Dusenberry (1873-1955) was a daughter of Anne Kristine Mauritzen and Abraham Smoot, wife of George Albert Dusenberry and teacher at Brigham Young University. She was a counselor of the General Board of the Relief Society for 25 years.

Zina Beal Smoot Whitney (1859-1900) was the daughter of Emily Hill and Abraham Smoot. She was well known through association of her husband, Orson F. Whitney, who was a Mormon apostle.

Extent

3 boxes (1.5 linear ft.)

1 folder (0.05 linear ft.)

1 oversize folder (0.20 linear ft.)

Language of Materials

English

Arrangement

Arranged in five series: 1. A. O. Smoot family correspondence, 1851-1914. 2. A. O. Smoot family genealogy, 1845-1947. 3. A.O. Smoot family documents, 1815-1961. 4. A. O. Smoot family publications, 1852-1909. 5. A. O. Smoot family photographs, 1880-1890.

Custodial History

The collection was donated to Brigham Young University from 2009-2012 by Douglas Smoot, a relative of A. O. Smoot. Portions of the collection were also purchased from Benchmark Books by several curators in September 2020.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Donated; Douglas Smoot; 2009-2012.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Purchased; Benchmark Books; September 14, 2020.

Appraisal

Utah and the American West and LDS cultural , social, and religious history (19th Century Western and Mormon Manuscripts Collection Policy, II.B.5.VII, 2013).

Related Materials

See also A. O. Smoot affidavit, 1870 (MSS 183), A. O. Smoot papers, 1837-1892 (MSS 574), A. O. Smoot papers, 1837-1894 (MSS 896), A. O. Smoot letters, 1866-1872 (MSS 3175), "To his honor Abraham O. Smoot, ex mayor of Great Salt Lake City", March 1866 (MSS 6012), Biography of Anne K. Smoot, 1910 (MSS 1873), Diana E. Smoot autobiography, 1912 (MSS SC 1587), Anna Christina Smoot diary, 1875-1876 (MSS 6188), Brigham Smoot family papers, 1889-1940 (MSS 3315), Remembering Horace Alma Smoot, circa 1970 (MSS SC 2687), Ida Smoot Dusenberry papers, 1881-1955 (MSS 1432), Ida Smoot Dusenberry photographs, 1881-1955 (MSS P 4132), A brief history of Ida Smoot Dusenberry (date unknown) (UA SC 26), Olive Smoot Bean autobiography, 1933-1934 (MSS SC 2139), Reed Smoot letters, 1903-1904 (MSS 1115), Reed Smoot papers, 1827-1966 (MSS 1187), Reed Smoot certificates and photograph, 1909-1911 (MSS 3736), Reed Smoot correspondence with Alpha May Eldredge Smoot, 1903-1906 (MSS 7945), Reed Smoot photographs, 1880-1949 (MSS P 377), Reed Smoot certificate, 1894 (MSS SC 596), Reed Smoot papers, 1930 and 1932 (UA 290), Caroline R. Smoot genealogical papers, 1885-1909 (MSS 2097), Chloe Smoot Cardon scrapbook, 1898 (MSS SC 2735), Edgar Stubbs Smoot biography, 1979-1980, Isaac A. Smoot papers, 1934-1957 (MSS 416), L. Douglas Smoot papers, 1907-2011 (MSS 7504), Lola Smoot papers, 1952-1985 (MSS 1749), and Seth Smoot portfolio of Nivacle photographs, 2002 (MSS 2837).

Processing Information

Processed; Jamie Wiser; 2022. Materials in addition were rehoused and integrated into the existing arrangement while adding a fifth series for photographs. File-level arrangement and description was added.

  • 5 newspapers clippings, 1900-1932
Title
Register of the A. O. Smoot family papers
Status
Completed
Author
Megan Furcini
Date
2011 May 13
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.

Revision Statements

  • 2022 May 2: Addition integrated and file-level description added; Jamie Wiser

Repository Details

Part of the L. Tom Perry Special Collections Repository

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