to Utah in 1866 and settled first in Bear River City, Boxelder county. He afterward
removed to Newton and subsequently to Logan, where he resided until 1883, when he
removed to Smithfield. Throughout his active life he successfully followed the occu-
pation of farming. He was but a lad of eight years when he went with his parents
to Denmark and it was in that country that he married. In 1866 he started across the
plains, accompanied by his parents and his own family, and while en route he lost his
wife and little daughter and also a sister. He was ever a consistent member of the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and at the time of his death was a high
priest. He was associated with the building of canals and roads in the- early days
and contributed in substantial measure to the development of the state in pioneer times.

John H. Peterson acquired his early education in Logan and afterward attended the
public schools of Smithfield, and the Brigham Young College, from which -he was grad-
uated in 1895. He afterward taught school for several years and in 1896 was sent
on a mission to the central states, or Indian Territory, where he labored for two years.
From 1901 until 1904 he filled a mission to the Netherlands. Following his return



118 UTAH SINCE STATEHOOD

he was employed as clerk in a store at Weston, Idaho, for a year, after which he re-
sumed teaching and for two years was principal of the Millville school. He then came
to Smithfield, where he taught for five years and during the last two years of that period
was principal, his work including teaching in the high school. While thus engaged he
studied in the Utah Agricultural College and won his degree in 1913. He afterward
taught for a year in the Smithfield high school and then went to Richmond, where he
has since given his attention to educational work.

In 1899 Mr. Peterson was married to Miss Etna Merrill, a daughter of Freeborn S.
and Mary (Davis) Merrill, of Smithfield. Mr. and Mrs. Peterson have seven children:
Maggie; Alton H. ; Mary; Norma; Elwyn and Edwin, twins; and Newell.

Always a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Mr.
Peterson was superintendent of the second ward Sunday school of Smithfield for ten
years and state superintendent of Sunday schools for three years. In fact he still occu-
pies the latter position and he is keenly interested in all that has to do with the pro-
gressive work of the church.



WILLIAM H. SEEGMILLER.

In every community one finds outstanding figures who by precept and example
become leaders in the work of general upbuilding and development. That William H.
Seegmiller is such a man is uniformly acknowledged in southern Utah. He makes
his home in Richfield and his life story is one of devotion to his principles and of
unselfish work for the people among whom he lives. Mr. Seegmiller was born at
Baden, in the province of Ontario, Canada, in 1843. His father was a native of
Bavaria, Germany, but upon reaching manhood objected to the enforced military
service of that country and took up his residence in Paris. After a short time there
he crossed the Atlantic to Canada, where he became associated with his brother in the
tanning business and in the manufacture of harness, saddles, boots and shoes. The
brothers prospered in their undertakings, becoming wealthy and influential citizens
of that country, where they operated three large manufacturing plants. The father
died in Stratford, Ontario, in 1857, leaving not only some property to his children
but also the priceless heritage of an untarnished name.

When eighteen years of age William H. Seegmiller, being of an adventurous
spirit, started for the United States with the intention of going through to California.
He was accompanied by two of his brothers, and as there were no railroads through
the west farther than St. Joseph, Missouri, they made the journey with mule and ox
teams. On the way the boys encountered a party en route for Utah with whom they
traveled to Florence, Nebraska. There Mr. Seegmiller of this review became a con-
vert to the Mormon faith and determined to study questions relative thereto with the
result that he was baptized and has since been conspicuous for his fidelity and stead-
fastness to the church. He gave up the idea of continuing his trip to California and
in 1861 became a resident of Salt Lake. He was first employed by Brigham Young,
who recognized in the young man the making of a sturdy and substantial citizen.
During this period of his life Mr. Seegmiller made two trips by team to the Missouri
river for President Brigham Young for the purpose of bringing to Utah freight and
the many converts who were constantly swelling the population of the state. He also
took up the occupation of farming near Salt Lake City but left the farm in charge
of his brother Charles W. in 1867, being called to strengthen the colonies of the Moapa
valley of Nevada, where it was known cotton could be raised, for clothing was scarce
in Utah on account of the War of the Rebellion. He remained there until the winter
of 1870-71.

Mr. Seegmiller returned to Salt Lake City in 1871 and soon afterward started for
his old home town in Canada to close up his father's estate there. This work occupied
six months of his time and upon his return in 1872, at the solicitation of Joseph A.
Young, a son of Brigham Young, who was at that time in charge of Sevier stake in
southern Utah, Mr. Seegmiller located at Richfield and has since been a resident of
Sevier county. Through the intervening period he has been closely associated with its
material development and the advancement of the church interests. He was ordained
an high priest and set apart to preside as bishop over Richfield, retaining that office
until 1877, when he became second counselor to President Spencer, serving as such
for ten 'years. In 1887 he became first counselor to President A. K. Thurber and about




WILLIAM H. SEEG MILLER



UTAH SINCE STATEHOOD 121

this time was called to a mission to Canada but was soon recalled to take charge of
the Sevier stake and in 1888 was sustained as president of the stake, in which office
he labored for a quarter of a century, retiring in 1910. Richfield and Sevier county
owes him much and freely admits the debt. Not only as 'a churchman but as a citizen
and as a man he has always carried more than his share of the public burdens and
has been untiring in his efforts to promote public good. He represented Sevier county
in the territorial legislature in 1888 and was elected councillor from the county In
1890 and speaker of the house of representatives in 1892. During his long and useful
life he has also served as county treasurer, as city councilman, as school trustee, sup-
erintendent of the district schools, superintendent of Young Men's Mutual Improve-
ment Associations, and mayor of Richfield and in all these positions has won praise
from the people of all political creeds, though he proudly proclaims that he is
a "rock-ribbed" democrat. His position is never an equivocal one. He stands loyally
for any cause which he espouses and only concerns of public worth need seek his co-
operation.

In 1916 Mr. Seegmiller was awarded a Master Farmers diploma by the Utah Agri-
cultural College, being today the proud possessor of one of a very few diplomas issued
to recognized farmers of Utah. Another phase of his activity is represented in the
beet sugar industry. In 1878, in connection with Bishop C. A. Madsen, he raised the
first sugar beets in Utah, demonstrating that a commercial beet could be raised in
the state. These beets were sent to Claus Spreckles at San Francisco, who pronounced
them satisfactory in every way, and thus was born the beet sugar industry of Utah.
To Mr. Seegmiller Is also due the introduction of flowing wells for irrigation purposes
and on his 235 acre farm he has twelve flowing wells, which at the depth of sixty-five
feet furnish a good supply of water. This farm he has given over to three of his
sons, who have profited by their father's wisdom and have put in more wells until
they now have all of the Water they need. For two years Mr. Seegmiller was president
of the Richfield Irrigation Canal Company, which is the strongest irrigation company
in Sevier county, and through the efforts of all of these companies in organizing the
Otter Creek Reservoir Company, Sevier has the distinction of being the best watered
county in the state, one canal being sixty-five miles long.

In 1867 Mr. Seegmiller was married to Miss Mary Helen Laidlaw, by whom he
became the father of fifteen children: William Adam, of Richfield, who is bishop of the
second ward of the city; Dan; Chariton, also a resident of Richfield; Mrs. J. J.
Toronto, of Salt Lake City; Frank K., of Salt Lake City, teacher of the Latter-day
Saints University; Derondo C.; Lizzie B.; Junius; Amelia; Louisiana; Irene;
Marion; Call; Ferry L.; and Mary, who died at the age of four years. The mother
of these children died September 12, 1919. Mr. Seegmiller's second wife was Miss
Sarah Jane Stewart and they became the parents of four children: Joseph W., of
Ogden; Minnie Neal, the wife of Lester Quist, and Rulon H. of Richfield; and Sarah
M., the wife of Harvey Ross, of Salt Lake City, who is president and manager of the
Gunnison Valley Sugar Factory.

The passing years do not seem to affect either the health or the spirit of William
H. Seegmiller, a most sturdy pioneer, who at the age of seventy-six years is as vig-
orous as many a man of fifty. His position in the church and in citizenship as well
as in business is still one of leadership. His powers remain undimmed and his sound
judgment is a guiding element toward success and improvement along many lines re-
lating to the welfare of Sevier county. His last effort to do something substantial for
the community for which he has worked so many years was to convey to the presi-
dency of the church for an up-to-date hospital a block in the northeast part of the city,
containing 4 and 36-100 acres, one block from any public highway, where travel would
annoy patients. His propositions were accepted and he hopes with a reasonable time
to see a hospital in Richfield which will be efficient in providing for the patients of
this part of the southern portion of the state. He had the pleasure of being present
at the dedication of the St. George, Manti, Logan and Salt Lake temples. He expects
to devote the remainder of his life to temple work and genealogical research, and with
this end in view intends visiting his old home in Stratford, Canada, and also his many
relatives scattered in various counties, and the ancestral home of the Seegmillers in
Germany, where he expects to gather data concerning the genealogy of the family.
He is now engaged in laboring in the St. George Temple and intends remaining until
May. In 1879 he was sent as a missionary to his native land and succeeded in organ-
izing branches of the church at Stratford and Kingston. In 1882 he received a diploma



122

from the Brigham Young Academy at Provo; in 1892 was elected a member of the
University Land Board and made its chairman; and during his incumbency the board
placed on sale land to the amount of two townships and sold all but a few acres. The
interest of the money thus obtained was the first public money ever used in this
territory or state for educational purposes.



GEORGE W. SQUIRES.

George W. Squires is the manager of the American Steam Laundry, a business en-
terprise of which Logan has every reason to be proud. Mr. Squires is a native of
Salt Lake City. He was born February 22, 1874, and is a son of John F. Squires, men-
tioned elsewhere in this work. After attending the district schools of Cache county,
Utah, to the age of fourteen years he started out in the business world on his own
account and first gave his attention to learning the barber's trade, with which he be-
came acquainted in his father's shop. He then followed that business independently
for a period of seventeen years. He afterward became a traveling salesman for the
Logan Knitting Factory, which he represented upon the road for a year, and on the
expiration of that period he took a position as a representative of the Logan Steam
Laundry. After a year's connection with that business he resigned that position and
in January, 1908, he purchased a third interest in the White Swan Laundry, which on
May 8, 1908, was consolidated with the other plant under the name of the American
Steam Laundry. In June, 1908, Mr. Squires became the manager. He has since been
In active control of the business and they have the largest, most modern and best
equipped plant of the kind to be found in any city of this size in the entire west. The
firm employs on an average of thirty people. A contemporary writer has said:

"The most distinguished looking building in the city of Logan, Utah, next to the
postoffice, is that of the American Steam Laundry. Built in the Mission style of archi-
tecture with its round arches and bell hung facade, it is in much better harmony with
the Lombardy of Utah than is the bungalow, for Utah is a part of old Spain.

"Although built originally for a garage, it has turned out to be an ideal laundry
construction, for it would seem that both a laundry and a garage need unlimited space
and numerous exits as well as plenty of air and light and absolute freedom from danger
of fire. The laundry and the garage are close relatives, for both depend upon the same
principles. The building is sixty-two and a half feet on the street by two hundred feet
In depth and has a driveway on three sides. It is backed up by a boiler house con-
taining a one hundred and twenty-five horse power boiler and a fifty ton coal bin. The
soiled laundry is received at the back, and near the door by which it comes in are the
marking stalls, which are under large sunny west windows. These are in the large
washing, starching and flat work room, which takes up nearly one-fourth of the floor
space on the north side of the building. Another quarter of the floor area is occupied
by the finishing room, on the same side. Between the two are rest and supply rooms.
The south half of the building is occupied by five rooms of different size, each back of
the other. In front is the office, back of that the clean bundle and the rough-dry room,
divided into two sections by a low partition. Then further back comes the tailoring
department, and behind that the dry cleaning room. The last has an outer door which
takes up nearly one side of the room, so that instant ventilation prevents all danger of
fire or sickness while using gasoline.

"The chief advantage of the garage plan in laundry work is that all departments
are on the same floor, that each communicates with the others, fhat the partitions are
only half the height of the building, and the immense open air space above gives per-
fect ventilation, which is also helped by the high windows, which occupy nearly all
the upper half of the wall space.

"No wonder the plant was an eye-opener to a certain Logan housewife who visited
it. She had been such a persistent and unreasonable complainer that the laundry
people had about decided to tell her firmly that they did not wish to do any more work
for her. Before telling her so, however, they asked her to call and inspect their new
plant. As the lady passed in her tour from the marking stalls to the office, as she saw
the washing machines, the extractors, the vento-drying tumblers, the monitor type flat work
ironers; when she noticed that everything had a place and that as high a point of
laundry efficiency was reached as is possible for mere human business men, she began to



UTAH SINCE STATEHOOD 123

realize that possibly she might have been to blame for some of the errors in the past.
With thirty-five intelligent employes to look after her work and with her laundry work
being done in well lighted, confusionless rooms, it was more probable that the blame
for the lost articles might be more on her side than on the laundry's and she had the
good grace to reach the office with a changed heart and to apologize to the manager for
some of her unreasonable complaints. Her previous idea of a laundry had been that of
her own hodge-podge kitchen, with old-fashioned washboards rather than a modern,
efficient, well planned enterprise. She could lose articles in her own kitchen and of
course the laundry did it on a larger scale, was her argument, but her visit to the
American Steam Laundry corrected her antiquated mental vision of washboards as well
as her warped judgment.

"However, no matter how well equipped or how well planned a laundry may be, it
is the working personnel that is the most important element in the business machine.
The Logan laundry has every reason to congratulate itself on its able band of workers."

The mo'st progressive methods are followed by the American Steam Laundry, the
slogan of which is: "Quality First, Keep the Quality Up. Second: Service and Cour-
teous Treatment, First, Last and all the Time."

On the 22d of February, 1899, Mr. Squires was married in Logan Temple by Apostle
M. W. Merrill to Miss Lettie Ballard, a native of Logan, Utah, and a daughter of the
late Bishop Henry Ballard, who served for thirty-nine years in the bishopric and
passed away February 26, 1908. Her mother was Margaret (McNeill) Ballard, who
died July 21, 1918, in Logan. Mr. and Mrs. Squires have become parents of six children:
George Walter, Alice B., Henry B., Melvin, Myrtle B. and Lettie B. The family reside
at No. 308 West First street, which was the old homestead of Mrs. Squires' parents, and
there she was born, reared and married.

Mr. Squires has taken a very active interest in the work of the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints. He is a member of the Young Men's Mutual Improvement
Board, is one of the presidents of the Fortieth Quorum of Seventy and has done every-
thing in his power to advance religious interests. He served on a mission in California
from 1899 until 1901, spending two years there. In politics Mr. Squires is an earnest
republican, believing firmly in the principles of the party as factors in good govern-
ment, and he is also identified with the Logan Commercial Boosters Club, cooperating
heartily in all of its well defined plans and projects for the upbuilding of the city, the
development of its trade connections and its advancement along all lines leading to per-
manent progress and improvement.



JOSEPH NEWBOLD.

One of the well appointed mercantile establishments of Logan is that owned by
Joseph Newbold, dealing in clothing, shoes, hats and men's furnishings on North Main
street. He has a fine store and a good business and is justly classed with the alert and
enterprising merchants of his city. Mr. Newbold was born in Derbyshire, England,
April 12, 1858. His father was also a native of England and a farmer by occupation.
He came to Utah in 1875, two years after the arrival of his son Joseph, and continued
a resident of this state until his death in 1888.

Joseph Newbold was educated in the schools of England, which he attended to the
age of fourteen years, when he bade adieu to friends and native country and sailed for
America. He made his way to Utah, taking up his abode at Farmington, and for a
number of years he was employed at farm labor. While thus engaged he carefully saved
his earnings and eventually was able, as the result of his industry and economy, to
purchase a farm. This he at once began to further cultivate and develop and thereon
continued in active agricultural pursuits until 1904, when he established his home in
Logan and entered the mercantile field. He opened a store on North Main street with
a large line of clothing, shoes, hats and men's furnishings and in the intervening period,
covering fifteen years, has developed a business of substantial and gratifying propor-
tions, being now accorded a very large trade. He is also one of the directors of the
Cache Valley Banking Company and his interest in the business development and gen-
eral welfare of his city is indicated by his membership in the Commercial Boosters
Club of Logan.

Mr. Newbold was married in Logan in 1885 to Miss Hannah Christensen, of this



124 UTAH SINCE STATEHOOD

city, and they have three children. Joseph, thirty-two years of age, married Jennie
Cole, of Logan. Bertie, thirty years of age, is the wife of O. A. Sonne, 6f Logan, and
they have four children, Roscoe, Dean, Florence and Irma. Metta, twenty-eight years of
age, is the wife of Harold Cederlund, of Logan.

Mr. Newbold is deeply interested in the work of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-
day Saints and twice served on a mission. In 1890 he went to England for missionary
work and in 1906 started out upon a mission in this country. He was called from his
second missionary lahors to become bishop of the fourth ward of Logan. He is a most
earnest worker in promoting the interests of the church and the community, is a man
of magnetic personality and marked capability and has a host of warm friends.



HON. JAMES W. CLYDE.

The life history of Hon. James W. Clyde presents many phases of activity, all of a
most useful and valuable character in the upbuilding of the state as well as the advance-
ment of his own interests. He is now representing Wasatch county in the Utah senate
and he is one of the most prominent stock raisers and ranchers of the intermountain
country. He is also identified with mercantile and banking interests and his enterprise
has been one of the dominant forces in the development of the state. In this connec-
tion he has carried forward the work instituted by his father, who was one of Utah's
pioneers.

James W. Clyde was born at Springville, Utah, August 31, 1855, his parents being
George W. and Jane (McDonald) Clyde. The former was a native of the state of New
York and a son of George W. Clyde, Sr., who became one of the earliest adherents of
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He joined that 'religious body in
New York and with other followers of the faith removed to Independence, Missouri,
where he experienced all of the hardships and ill treatment inflicted upon that people.
He was living there during the ever memorable Missouri massacre and removed with
the Saints to Nauvoo, Illinois. There he became a member of the Legion. He passed
away at Nauvoo, after which his son and namesake, George W. Clyde, left that place
with the exodus from Illinois, reaching Utah about 1848 or 1849 with one of the first
pioneer trains that crossed the plains. Soon afterward he settled at Springville, where
he took up the occupation of farming. He participated in both the Walker and Black
Hawk Indian wars and in many ways contributed to the development and upbuilding
of the state. In 1860 he became a pioneer of Wasatch county, where he continued to
engage in ranching and cattle raising for many years, becoming one of the prominent
cattle men of the district. On settling at Heber he built a small house at the old fort.
He was m'arried in Springville to Miss Jane McDonald and they became the parents of
nine children, five sons and four daughters. The death of the father occurred on the
17th of March, 1899, while the mother, surviving for a few years, passed away in 1904.

James W. Clyde acquired a common school education but his youth was largely
spent in the saddle and when a boy he thoroughly learned the cattle business under
his father's direction. Eventually he started in the business on his own account,
handling both cattle and sheep, and today he has large acreage of range and ranch
land, together with extensive flocks and herds, having become recognized as one of the
largest operators in live stock in Utah. He has developed his business along most
progressive lines, his energy and enterprise enabling him to overcome all the difficulties
and obstacles which beset every business career. He was one of the incorporators
of the Bank of Heber City on the 22nd of April, 1902, and was elected its vice president.
Mr. Clyde is likewise the vice president of the Heber Mercantile Company, which
is the largest store of the kind in Wasatch county and in fact conducts one of the
largest mercantile establishments of the state.

In 1884 Mr. Clyde was married to Miss Mary Campbell, a daughter of Thomas and
Elizabeth Campbell, and they have become the parents of ten children: Nellie, Nora,
Mary, Hazel, Don, Nina, Bessie, Laura, and two who died in infancy. The family ad-
here to the faith of the church with which the grandfather of Hon. James W. Clyde
became identified in the days of its early development.