commissioner. His popularity was demonstrated by the largest majority given to any
candidate on either ticket. He is also one of the directors of the Pahvant irrigation
district and when called to the office again received the banner vote.
Mr. Christensen has always been a consistent member of the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was ordained a high priest in 1887 and called to be
counselor to Bishop Kimball. In 1889 he was set apart as first counselor to Bishop
Hopkinson, in which post he served for eight years. Upon the death of Mr. Hopkinson
he was appointed to the office of bishop and so continued through the succeeding nine
years, when he was honorably released at his own request by the president of the
stake and Apostle Lyman. He has served as president of the Young Men's Mutual,
as teacher of the theology class in the Sunday school and as director and teacher of
the lesser priesthood in the elders class. He is a member of the high council of the
stake and has held other church office. His activities have thus been an important
element in the material progress and in the moral growth of the section of the state
in which he makes his home, and his labors along both lines have been resultantly
effective.
DAVID HEBER LEONARD.
David Heber Leonard has been actively identified with the material upbuilding
and the moral progress of Huntington for many years. For more than a quarter of
a century he has been buying hogs, cattle and produce for the coal mining companies,
while in the church he is filling the office of bishop. He was born at St. John, Tooele
county, July 13, 1869, and is a son of David H. and Emma E. (Child) Leonard, the
former a native of Canada and the latter of Belleville, Illinois. The father came to
Utah in 1853 and was married in Salt Lake City in 1861, afterward settling at St.
John. Later he was called to settle the Muddy, but owing to sandy conditions which
prevented the building of stable dams and the district being cut off of Utah with
the establishment of the boundary line between this state and Nevada, the settlers
778 UTAH SINCE STATEHOOD
of the Muddy were called home. Mr. Leonard returned to St. John in the Rush
valley. On three different occasions he made trips after emigrants with cattle. In
1879 he again pioneered, becoming a resident of Huntington, Emery county, and with
the exception of a brief period spent at Vernal has since made his home at Huntington.
Previous to this time he was in Sanpete county and was there residing during the
period of the Black Hawk war. He has largely followed farming as a life work but
is now living retired at the age of seventy-eight years. The mother has passed
away.
David Heber Leonard acquired his education in the common schools of Huntington
and also pursued a high school course. Early in life he started out to assist in sup-
porting his mother's family and was thus engaged up to the time of his marriage,
working largely upon farms. After his marriage he continued to farm and handle
stock and for the past twenty-seven years he has been engaged in buying hogs, cattle and
produce for the coal mining companies with good success. In this work he displays
sound judgment as well as unfaltering enterprise and energy and his labors are
bringing substantial results.
At Huntington, December 4, 1895, Mr. Leonard was married to Miss Hannah M.
Johnson, a daughter of Bishop Peter and Catherine A. (Anderson) Johnson, who
were pioneer settlers of Utah and were among the early residents of Sanpete county.
Mr. Johnson is a veteran of the Black Hawk war and is now receiving a pension.
Again he was called upon for pioneer work, at which time he settled in Huntington.
He made trips to the east with cattle for emigrants and from 1890 until 1902 he was
bishop of Huntington. He followed farming and carpentering as a life work but is
now living retired at the age of eighty years. His wife has passed away. Mr. and
Mrs. Leonard have become parents of twelve children: Dora P., born at' Huntington,
September 22, 1896; Flora C., December 17, 1897; E. Verda, March 14, 1900; H. Elwood,
May 4, 1902; E. Cecelia, August 1, 1907; Lucy E., August 24, 1909; E. Grant, Novem-
ber 14, 1911; V. Selma, March 2, 1914; J. Mack, September 23, 1918; and three who
are deceased.
Mr. Leonard has long been a faithful follower of the teachings of the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was called to the eastern states on a mission but
after four months was released on account of a death in the family. During that
four-month period however, he traveled seven thousand miles and held seventy-six
meetings. On the 18th of May, 1915, he was ordained bishop of the Huntington ward.
His political allegiance is given to the democratic party. He has served on the school
board for two terms, has been city marshal for three years, filled the office of county
commissioner for two years and is now serving for a second term of four years as
county commissioner. His life has been one of activity fraught with great good for
the benefit of his fellowmen in connection with both the material and moral progress
of the district in which he lives.
WALDEMAR OSCAR LUNDGREEN.
Waldemar Oscar Lundgreen, one of the progressive farmers of Sevier county
and a son of Peter M. and Christina (Christensen) Lundgreen, was born in Salt
Lake City, March 4, 1892. His father was a native of Denmark who, being converted
to the faith of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, came to America in
1887 and after a residence of nine years in Salt Lake City removed with his family to
Sevier county. He was a carpenter by trade but after the removal gave more atten-
tion to farming than to industrial pursuits.
Waldemar O. Lundgreen was educated in the graded and high schools of Monroe
and for a year or two engaged in teaching school. He then accepted a clerkship
in the office of the Utah-Idaho Sugar Company at the Elsinore factory, where he
remained for a few years, leaving the employ of the sugar company to become
postmaster at Monroe. He served the government in that capacity from 1915 until
1918 and proved most prompt, capable and reliable in the discharge of his duties.
Following his retirement from the postoffice he determined to become a farmer and
purchased on his own account twenty-five acres of land in Sevier county and also
became associated with his brother in the ownership and development of another
farm. He is now building up a business of substantial proportions and is fast winning
WALDEMAR O. LUNDGREEN
UTAH SINCE STATEHOOD 781
the reputation of being one of Sevier county's most enterprising, industrious and
progressive farmers.
His close attention to his church duties and the correctness of his life resulted
in Mr. Lundgreen's being ordained a high priest September 22, 1917, and the same
day he was set apart as bishop of the north ward of Monroe, though but twenty-six
years of age. Neither the ward nor the church authorities have found any reason
to regret his elevation.
On June 7, 1916, in the Salt Lake temple, Bishop Lundgreen was married to
Miss Savannah Anderson, a daughter of Andrew and Anna Sophia (Shimmin) Ander-
son and to them has been born one daughter, Judith, whose birth occurred February
26, 1918. Mr. and Mrs. Lundgreen are well known socially in Monroe and throughout
their section of the county and enjoy the hospitality of the best homes, while in
business circles and in other connections Mr. Lundgreen has made for himself a most
creditable position, high regard being entertained for him by all who know him.
HEBER J. McKAY, D. C.
Dr. Heber J. McKay, a successful chiropractor of Logan, with offices in the Thatcher
building, was born in Huntsville, Weber county, Utah, January 13, 1885, a son of
Isaac and Eleanor (Jesperson) McKay, the former a native of Scotland, while the latter
was born in Denmark. The father came to America about 1862 and established his
home in Ogden, Weber county, but subsequently removed to Huntsville, where he re-
sided for an extended period with the exception of about six years. During the latter
part of his life he made his home in Ogden, where he passed away in 1907, at the
age of sixty-six years. He was a wool grower and farmer and in the conduct of his
business affairs obtained substantial prosperity. His religious belief was that of the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The mother came to America in 1861
with her parents, who settled in Morgan county in the Weber valley. In young woman-
hood she was a member of the household of President Brigham Young and in 1870 she
became the wife of Isaac McKay. They had a family of nine children, five sons and
four daughters, of whom four sons and one daughter are yet living.
Heber J. McKay was the seventh in order of birth in this family. He was
educated in the public schools of Huntsville and in the Brigham Young College
at Logan, where he pursued a year's business course. He next entered the Weber
Academy, now known as the Weber College, and was there a student for three years.
He devoted one year to the Sunday school course and two years to the male choristers
course. After completing his studies he was called on a mission to the Samoan Islands,
where he served for three years and nine months and during two years and six
months of that period was the president of the Vavau conference in the Friendly Islands.
He and his companion, Elder W. O. Facer, of Willard, were instrumental in reopening
the work in those islands work which had been neglected for a period of ten years.
In their labors they were very successful, Dr. McKay making one hundred converts
the first year. Since then the church has maintained a separate mission there.
Upon his return to Utah, Dr. McKay was employed in the Pingree National Bank
of Ogden as a bookkeeper and there remained for a year, after which he resigned his
position. Following his marriage in 1913 he and his wife went to Franklin county,
Idaho, where they began their domestic life, and he there became the manager of the
Western Flour Mills, a position which he capably filled for three and a half years. He
next returned to Ogden, where he resided for six months, after which he entered the
Palmer School of Chiropractic at Davenport, Iowa, and was graduated therefrom on
the 1st of May, 1918. He then took up his abode in Logan and since the 1st of June
of that year has maintained his office in this city and has been accorded a very liberal
and well deserved practice. He is thoroughly familiar with the work of the profession,
has comprehensive knowledge of anatomy and the component parts of the human body
and his labors have wrought much benefit to his patients. He is a member of the
Utah State Chiropractors Association.
It was on the 23d of April, 1913, in Salt Lake Temple, that Dr. McKay was mar-
ried to Miss Mabel Mary Ann Shorten, who was born in Ogden, a daughter of George
and Elizabeth (Ellis) Shorten. Dr. and Mrs. McKay had two sons: Ralph Heber, who
was born May 14, 1914, and died January 28, 1916; and Donald Shorten, born July 11,
782 UTAH SINCE STATEHOOD
1916. The family home is at No. 61 West First South street and is the abode of a
warm-hearted hospitality.
Dr. McKay belongs to the Logan Commercial Booster Club and also to the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the first ward, where he is active
as a Sunday school teacher. In politics he maintains an independent course, voting for
the candidates whom he regards as best qualified for office. He is indeed a self-made
man, for the death of his father made it necessary that he provide for his own support.
He worked his way through college and, stimulated by a laudable ambition, he has
made steady advancement until he has gained for himself a creditable place in pro-
fessional circles in his adopted city.
GEORGE JEFFERSON.
George Jefferson, manager of the Jefferson Mercantile Company of Milford and
thus active in control of a large part of the trade of southern Utah, was born in
Minnesota in 1887, a son of Henry and Rachel (McDonald) Jefferson, the former a
native of Louisiana, while the latter was born in Canada. When a young man Mr.
Jefferson went to Minnesota, there entering the grain business and shipping the
first car out of the state. For a long period he owned and operated an elevator there
but in 1890 disposed of his grain interests in Minnesota and removed to Butte, Mon-
tana, where he managed the old St. James Hotel for twelve years. In 1902 he re-
moved to Utah, settling at Milford, where he followed mining for three years, when
he organized the business of the Jefferson Mercantile Company, selling both to the
wholesale and retail trade. He passed away December 30, 1916. His widow is still
living and is associated with the business.
George Jefferson acquired his early education in the schools of Butte, Mon-
tana, passing through consecutive grades to the high school, from which he was
graduated with the class of 1902. He afterward spent a short time as a student in the
School of Mines and, entering actively upon business life, became associated with his
father in the conduct of the interests of the Jefferson Mercantile Company, of which
he was made manager upon his father's death in 1916. While this is an incorporated
company, Mr. Jefferson largely has charge and his management has been entirely sat-
isfactory to the stockholders. He is now controlling the largest business of the
kind in southern Utah, selling extensively to the miners and stockmen and handling
much of the business of the Intermountain country in the southern section of the state.
At Farmington, Utah, on the 14th of July, 1911, Mr. Jefferson was united in
marriage to Mrs. Blanch Steuben, a widow and a daughter of Augustus Behrman,
who was a blacksmith by trade, conducting business at Buena Vista, Colorado, where
his daughter pursued a high school education, while later she took a commercial
course at Henager's Business College in Salt Lake City, from which she was grad-
uated in 1910. Mr. and Mrs. Jefferson have an adopted son, Elwood, who was born
in Salt Lake City, July 16, 1906.
In his political views Mr. Jefferson is a republican, active in the local ranks of
the party, and for the past ten years has been precinct chairman. Fraternally he is a
member of Albert Pike Lodge, No. 14, A. F. & A. M., and is a loyal follower of the
teachings of the craft. In his business career he is actuated by a progressive
spirit that is undeterred by difficulties and obstacles. Perseverance and energy
actuate him in everything that he undertakes and he has made the Jefferson Mercantile
Company one of the most important commercial interests of southern Utah.
JAMES F. OLSEN.
James F. Olsen, engaged in farming and stock raising at Rochester, was born in
Spring City, Utah, February 29, 1876, and is a representative of one of the old
families of the state. His parents, Frederick and Matilda (Jensen) Olsen, were
natives of Denmark and pioneer settlers of Utah, arriving in the fall of 1857 with a
handcart company. They established their home at Ephraim and were afterward called
to Monroe, but were there driven out by the hostility of the Indians and returned to
UTAH SINCE STATEHOOD 783
Spring City. Mr. Olsen was called to settle Emery county in 1883 and established his
home at Ferron, where he passed away in 1906, having for more than a decade survived
the mother of James F. Olsen, who departed this life in 1894. Mr. Olsen had seen
active service in both the Black Hawk and Walker wars and had passed through all
of the difficulties, privations and dangers incident to frontier settlement. He lived
to see remarkable changes and at all times bore his part in the work of general
transformation.
James F. Olsen was only seven years of age when his parents removed to Ferron,
where he acquired a common school education. In young manhood he took up the
occupation of farming and also did various kinds of work necessary in the settlement
of a new country. In 1913 he removed from Ferron to Rochester, where he pur-
chased a good farm property and is now carrying on general agricultural pursuits and
cattle raising. His business affairs are wisely and capably conducted and are bring-
ing to him a substantial measure of success.
At Ferron, on the 9th of December, 1896, Mr. Olsen was married to Miss Cornelia
Wrigley and they had one son, Austin, who was born September 29, 1897. He joined
the army December 31, 1917, at Salt Lake City, was at Fort Douglas for two weeks
and was then sent to Camp Dix, New Jersey, and in August, 1918, went to France. He
participated in the sanguinary drive in the Argonne forest, in which he was wounded
and was in a hospital when the armistice was signed. He was mustered out at Fort
Russell, July 15, 1919, having done his full share in America's part in checking Ger-
man militarism, which was menacing the whole world. Mrs. Cornelia Olsen passed
away in 1898, and in 1899, at Ferron, Mr. Olsen wedded Nellie Taylor, who died
at the birth of their fourth child, the children of that marriage being: Zina, who was
born in 1900; Weldon, in 1902; Ray, in 1904; and Neldon, in 1906. On the 3d of April,
1913, Mr. Olsen was married to Mrs. Matilda Lowery, a widow, who is a daughter of
Jens Jensen, a pioneer of Gunnison, where he follows farming. By her former mar-
riage she had three children: Lafonta and Allen, who are living; and Aleda, who has
passed away.
Mr. Olsen is a supporter of democratic principles, but has never been a politician
in the sense of office seeking. Fraternally he is connected with the Modern Woodmen
of America and both within and outside of the ranks of that organization he has
many friends, his genuine worth as a man and as a citizen being widely recognized.
CARLOS GUNDERSON.
Concentration of purpose has been one of the strong elements in the success
of Carlos Gunderson, who at the age of nineteen years began raising sheep and has
continued in the business to the present time, being recognized today as one of the
leading sheep men of his section of the state. He makes his home at Price, where he
has served as mayor, and his landed holdings are in Carbon county. He was born at
Mount Pleasant, Utah, July 15, 1873, and represents one of the old pioneer families
of the state. His parents, Erick and Caroline (Johnson) Gunderson, crossed the
plains with a handcart company and cast in their lot with the earliest residents of
Utah. They established their home at Spanish Fork, where they lived for about a quar-
ter of a century, and then removed to Mount Pleasant. There Mr. Gunderson passed
away. He had long been recognized as a leading citizen of the community and was
most highly respected by all who knew him.
Carlos Gunderson acquired a common school education in his native city and when
nineteen years of age started out in the business world on his own account, since
which time he has depended entirely upon his own resources and efforts. That his
affairs have been wisely conducted and carefully managed is indicated in the success
which he now enjoys. He has closely studied every phase of sheep raising and has
so directed his efforts that he is today the owner of extensive flocks. His real estate
investments include three hundred and eighty acres of rich farming land and thirty-
two hundred acres of grazing land. He has also made investments along other lines
and is now a stockholder and the vice president of the Smoot-Nixon Lumber Company
and a stockholder and one of the directors of the Price Commercial & Savings Bank.
784 UTAH SINCE STATEHOOD
At Manti, Utah, on the 3d of September, 1903, Mr. Gunderson was married to Miss
Capitola Groesbeck, a daughter of Nicholas and Rosetta Groesbeck, of Springville, where
the father followed mining. In 1905 he removed to Boise, Idaho, where he and his
wife still reside. Mr. and Mrs. Gunderson have become the parents of seven children:
Glenna, who was born July 20, 1904; Carlos, born July 14, 1906; Leona, whose birth
occurred August 26, 1908; Umba, whose natal day was January 2, 1910; Golda, who
was born on the 12th of August, 1912; Louisa, born May 8, 1914; and Frank, who was
born October 14, 1916. The religious belief of the family is that of the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In politics Mr. Gunderson is a republican and was
a member of the city council in 1912 and 1913, while through the two succeeding
years he served as mayor of Price and supported many progressive measures for the
benefit and upbuilding of the city.
GEORGE W. PERKINS.
George W. Perkins, actively engaged in farming and stock raising at Blanding,
was born at Cedar City, Utah, January 22, 1879, his parents being Hyrum and Rachel
C. (Cory) Perkins, who were married at Cedar City and in 1880 cast in their lot with
the pioneer settlers of San Juan county, where the father followed farming and stock
raising and took an active part in the upbuilding and development of the district. He
died at Bluff in 1917, while the mother is still living.
George W. Perkins is indebted to the public schools of Bluff for the educational
opportunities which he enjoyed. When twenty-one years of age he began raising
cattle and in 1908 he and his brothers, H. C. and Daniel Perkins, united their interests
and bought an interest in a ranch, which now represents an investment of one hundred
thousand dollars in stock and land. George W. Perkins removed to Blanding in 1917,
purchased a home and obtained large tracts of land near the town. He is a most
progressive and enterprising young business man and is very highly respected.
At Salt Lake City, on the 8th of April, 1902, Mr. Perkins was married to Miss Annie
Bayles, a daughter of Bishop H. and Mary A. Bayles. The father was a pioneer of San
Juan county and came to Blanding as one of the first settlers, removing to this town
from Bluff. He was immediately ordained bishop and occupied the position until
1918, when he was released. He still makes his home at Blanding. To Mr. an'd
Mrs. Perkins have been born seven children: Louvine, whose birth occurred January
31, 1905; Hanson E., born November 27, 1907; Marie, whose natal day was March 17,
1909; Clarence, born in March, 1911; Roy W., who was born in August, 1914; Carl,
born in August, 1917; and Rosella, born in September, 1919.
In religious faith Mr. Perkins is connected with the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints. In 1898 and 1899 he filled a mission to the southern states and
in 1906 and 1907 filled a mission to the northwestern states. His political endorse-
ment is given the republican party and in 1918 he was elected county commissioner
of San Juan county, in which position he has since creditably and ably served. He
is a representative citizen of this section of the state, alert, enterprising and pro-
gressive, and in his farming and stock raising interests has manifested sound judg-
ment and keen sagacity. His enterprise has brought him prominently to the front
in this connection and he is meeting with very substantial success as the reward of
his labor.
FRANK LEROY DAVIS.
Frank Leroy Davis is manager at Delta for the Consolidated Wagon & Machine
Company, being thus identified with one of the mammoth corporations of the west.
He was born in Salem, Utah county, in 1885 and has spent his entire life in this
state. He is a son of Frank B. and Olivia (Evans) Davis, both of whom were repre-
sentatives of pioneer families and were consistent members of the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints. His maternal grandfather was a pioneer of Utah county"
of 1849 and was very active as a church worker, occupying the position of patriarch
at the time of his death.
UTAH SINCE STATEHOOD 785
Frank L. Davis was educated in the graded schools of his native county and after
leaving school was employed as bookkeeper by the Tintic Mercantile Company of
Tintic, Utah, a position which he filled for nine years. In 1915 he accepted a posi-
tion as traveling salesman for the Consolidated Wagon & Machine Company and after
two years' service in that capacity was appointed manager of the Delta branch of the
company and still fills that position. He has thoroughly acquainted himself with
every phase of the business and has developed a trade of large and gratifying pro-
portions as representative of the parent concern.
In 1904 Mr. Davis was united in marriage to Miss Nettie Hanks, a daughter of
S. A. Hanks, a prominent churchman and citizen of Salem, who served on a two
years' mission and afterward became a high priest. He was also president of the