affairs there. He died in 1900 at the age of forty-five years. His wife, who bore the
maiden name of Anna Staropoulou, was born in Acrata and is still living there. They
had a family of eleven children, seven sons and four daughters.

James G. Karas, the eighth in the family in order of birth, was educated in the pub-
lic schools of his native city and afterward entered a monastery, in which he was em-
ployed for ten years, being a novice in the institution. He began earning his living when
but nine years of age and was first employed in the monastery but in 1909 he determined
to seek a home and fortune in the new world and crossed the Atlantic to the United
States. He settled in New York, where he remained for five months, and then removed
to the west, establishing his home in Pocatello, Idaho. There he was employed as a
helper in the shops of the Oregon Short Line Railroad, working as boilermaker's helper
until he had mastered the trade, which he followed continuously for nine years. In
1916 he removed to Ogden, Utah, and established the Orpheum Cendy Company with
a capital of five thousand dollars which he had saved from his earnings. With that start
he has built up a very gratifying and successful business, now having one of the lead-
ing candy establishments in Ogden. The company manufactures all of its own candies,
confections and ice cream, and something of the volume of their trade is indicated in
the fact that they now employ eight people.

On the 1st of May, 1918, Mr. Karas was married in Ogden to Miss Julia Sherwood,
a native of this city and a daughter of Luke Sherwood. They now have one child, Anna.
The family resides at No. 2337 Adams street. Mr. Karas is independent in his political
views. He was made an American citizen at Las Vegas, Nevada, in 1911. He is a
member of the Greek church and is ever loyal to the principles which he espouses. He
came to the new world with a cash capital of but eleven dollars and as the years have
passed he has worked his way steadily upward, utilizing every opportunity that has
come to him. Diligence, definite purpose and determination have been the basic prin-
ciples of his growing success, and he is now at the head of a prosperous business in
Ogden, where he has made his home since 1916.



JOHN WYATT.

John Wyatt, who is engaged in ranching and in merchandising at Wellsville, was
born in Brighton, England, December 2, 1847, his parents being John N. and Sarah H.
(Hosscroft) Wyatt, who came to Utah in October, 1851, having been converted in their
native land to the Mormon faith. They located in Salt Lake, where they resided for
six years and then removed to the Cache valley in the spring of 1856. They took up
their abode at Wellsville, where they spent their remaining days, the father devoting
his attention to the occupation of farming and also assisting in the building of the
first canals and roads in his locality. In fact his labors were a potent element in the
development and upbuilding of the region. He was an elder in the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints and was prominent in all public matters.



UTAH SINCE STATEHOOD 579

John Wyatt had but limited educational privileges owing to the fact that he was
reared in a frontier district. The book of Mormon was largely his textbook and from
it he received not only religious instruction but a knowledge that has proven of much
benefit to him in secular affairs. In the school of experience, too, he has learned
many valuable lessons and after starting out in the business world he soon became a
good business man. He first took up the occupation of farming and has continued to
follow that pursuit throughout his entire life although in later years he has divided
his activities somewhat between farming and merchandising, having in 1907 pur-
chased a mercantile store which he has since successfully conducted. He carries an
attractive line of goods and the reliability and enterprise of his business methods are
bringing to him well deserved success.

On the 9th of November, 1874, Mr. Wyatt was married to Miss Sarah Jane Barnes,
a daughter of John and Eleanor (Wilson) Barnes. They had a family of four chil-
dren: John B., Sarah B., Mary B. and Josephine B., the last named now deceased.
The wife and mother passed away August 3, 1882. On the 23d of November, 1882,
Mr. Wyatt was again married, his second union being with Julia Leavitt, a daughter
of Thomas R. and Antoinette (Davenport) Leavitt. They have become the parents
of ten children: Antoinette; Julia, who is deceased; Charles; Thomas, who filled a
mission to the central states in 1912; Annie; Sidney; Hazel; Wilford; Violet; and
Lester. Sidney also filled a mission, going to Ireland in 1915 and returning in Feb-
ruary, 1919. In 1890 Mr. Wyatt married Betsy Leavitt, his wife's sister, and to this
union were born twelve children: Betsy and Parley, who are deceased; Ida; James
R.; Myrtle, deceased; William; Brigham, deceased; Mabel; Louis; Reta; Marvin;
and Herbert.

In their loyalty to the church the sons have followed in the footsteps of their
father, for in 1890 Mr. Wyatt was called upon for missionary labors in, Great Britain
and was connected with the Norwich conference, returning in 1892. He again filled
a mission to Great Britain, where he remained from the spring of 1900 until the fall
of 1901 in the Birmingham conference. He has filled all of the offices in the church
up to that of high priest. Mr. Wyatt has also been connected with secular affairs,
serving for three terms as a member of the city council, in which position he exer-
cised his official prerogatives in support of various plans and measures for the gen-
eral good. He has ever been actuated by a progressive spirit in all that he has under-
taken and has made his life one of service and value to his fellowmen and to the
community at large.



NOBLE GOODWIN PETERSON.

One of the progressive young business men of Millard county is Noble G. Peterson,
who is located at Delta. He was born in the town of Scipio, Utah, in 1895, a son of
Andreas and Adelaide (Mathews) Peterson, both of whom were connected with old
pioneer families of this state. The maternal grandfather, James Mathews, was one of
the selected bodyguard of the Prophet Joseph Smith and barely escaped with his life
at the time the prophet was killed at Nauvoo, Illinois. Both families came to Utah in
the early days of territorial development here and did much to establish and upbuild
the state.

Noble G. Peterson was educated in the graded schools of Scipio and the high school
of Fillmore and also attended Utah University and the Leland Stanford University of
California, being graduated from the last named institution with the degree of Bachelor
of Arts as a member of the class of 1916. Immediately after his graduation he was
called home to the death bed of his father. He spent the next year in settling up the
estate and then removed to Fillmore, where he built the Fillmore Theatre but after-
ward sold the building and became a resident of Delta. In this prosperous and growing
town he built the Lincoln Theatre, which he is still conducting, handling the impor-
tant road shows and first feature photo plays. When the draft of troops for the World
war was made operative he was placed in class 4 but volunteered despite that fact and
went to the officers' training camp at Camp Zachary Taylor in Kentucky and was await-
ing his commission when the armistice was signed.

In 1914 Mr. Peterson was married at Fillmore to Miss Josie Melville, a daughter of
Daniel Melville, a farmer and member of one of the pioneer families that has done much

Vol. IV 37



I'TAH SINCE STATEHOOD

to aid in the growth of Millard county, especially in the eastern section. Mr. and Mrs.
Peterson have become the parents of an interesting little daughter, Katherine. They
are well known socially and enjoy the hospitality of the best homes of the town in
which they now reside. Mr. Peterson is a most energetic and progressive young busi-
ness man, a representative of that class who have been instrumental in promoting the
marvelous growth of Delta.



JOHN EDWARD HOLDEN.

John Edward Holden, who wears the French Militaire Cross in recognition of spe-
cial acts of valor en the felds of France and who is secretary of the American Legion
for Utah, was born in Butte, Montana, in 1896, and is a son of Edward H. Holden, who
occupies a position of distinction in editorial circles in the western states. For many
years he was the editor cf the Butte Miner and for the last few years has been the
managing editor of the Salt Lake Tribune, thus becoming most widely known as a
representative of western journalism.

John Edward Holden has proven a worthy son of an honored sire. He was educated
in the public schools of Salt Lake and in the Utah Agricultural College at Logan.
When the World war engulfed America he volunteered for service, giving up at that
time a position as an engineer of the Garfield smelter. He became attached to the
Seventeenth Field Artillery of the Second Division and saw extensive service in France.
He was shot through both legs in one engagement and had hardly left the hospital
after recovering from these injuries when he again was wounded in another drive.
On the second occasion a shell shattered both arms and portions of it passed through
his jaw and neck and destroyed his left eye. He remained in the hospital for eleven
months and has displayed the spirit which has been so characteristic of the American
soldier, who though wounded, will not allow discouragement to dominate him. He
became a student in the University of Utah, thus qualifying for important duties in
later life. In the fall of 1919 he became a reporter on the Tribune. As indicated, his
distinguished service won for him the French Militaire Cross. He is wholly in sym-
pathy with the Americanization movement which is sweeping over the country and
upon the organization of the American Legion he aided in forming the Richard W.
Young Post and became its chairman. He was also elected vice president of the Vet-
erans of Foreign Wars in Baltimore, Md., and later in 1919 was chosen secretary of
the American Legion of Utah, composed of a body of seven thousand young men.
He belongs to the Phi Delta Theta, a society that numbers among its members Gen-
eral Pershing and many other distinguished army men.



CLARENCE A. ROBERTSON.

Clarence A. Robertson, of Moab, is recognized as one of the eminent attorneys at
law in Utah, his knowledge of the principles of jurisprudence being comprehensive
and exact, while in his application of such principles he is particularly efficient and
successful. He was born in Shields, Indiana, August 27. 1879. His parents, Absalom
and Martha (McClelland) Robertson, were natives of Indiana and of Iowa respectively,
but in her girlhood days the mother removed to Indiana, where she was married.
Mr. Robertson, Sr., followed farmjng as a life work and in 1890 established his home in
Missouri, where he remained until his death in 1898.

Clarence A. Robertson obtained a common school education and also pursued a
high school course at Washburn, Missouri, while later he took a correspondence course
with the International Correspondence University of Law. He removed from Missouri
to Utah in 1898 and many interesting experiences came to him in his initial business
activity, which was in carrying the mail on horseback from Peters Hill to La Sal.
This was in the wild cowboy days. He soon tired of this and took the management
of the Moab ferry. In 1891, in connection with his brother, A. M. Robertson, he was
awarded the star route mail contract between Moab and Monticello, a distance of
more than seventy miles, and he also subcontracted the Moab-Thompsons route, contin-
uing in that work for four years. This was followed by the purchase of the Grand



UTAH SINCE STATEHOOD 581

Valley Times, of which he remained editor and manager for six years. It was while
thus engaged that he pursued the correspondence course to which previous reference
has been made. In 1904 he was elected county attorney of Grand county and filled that
office for five terms. In 1909 he obtained a release from the duties of that position
and completed his law course at the University of Michigan. Upon his return he was
admitted to practice at the bar of Utah by the supreme court of the state and also at
the United States district court of Utah. In 1913 he once more entered the University
of Michigan for special law work and after a year's study there returned and has
since continued in active and successful practice in several parts of the state, while
making Moab his place of residence. He is keenly interested in the science of his
profession, and gives himself unsparingly to his chosen work. He was one of the
organizers of the First National Bank of Moab, of which he is vice president and a
director, and was likewise one of the organizers, and a member of the first board of
directors of the Monticello State Bank.

On the 8th of March, 1903, at Moab, Mr. Robertson was married to Miss Eva L.
Taylor, a daughter of Arthur and Alcena (Jensen) Taylor, who were early settlers
of the Moab valley, the father having previously lived at Paragonah, Utah, and the
mother in Sanpete county. Mr. Taylor was one of the Indiana war veterans and both
he and Mrs. Taylor are numbered among the honored pioneer residents of the state.
Mr. and Mrs. Robertson have become parents of three children: Allien, who was
born in Moab, December 31, 1903; Homer, born July 15, 1907; and Kenneth, born
May 9, 1909.

Mr. Robertson's religious affiliation is with the Church of Christ (Disciples). Fra-
ternally he is connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Woodmen
of the World. His political allegiance is given to the democratic party and aside
from serving as county attorney he Is now a member and president of the Grand
county board of education and president of the recently established county library
board. He is likewise a member of the publicity and development commission of the
state through appointment of Governor Bamberger. He acted as government federal
appeal agent for Grand county on the draft board, took an active part in promoting
the Liberty Loan drives, was chairman of two Red Cross drives, also of the Salvation
Army war fund, was a member of the legal advisory board for the soldiers and acted
as one of the Four Minute men of Grand county. He is one hundred per cent Amer-
ican, active and purposeful in support of those interests which make for higher ideals
in American citizenship. Prompted by a laudable ambition, he has prepared for one
of the higher professions and entered upon a life work in which advancement de-
pends entirely upon individual merit and ability. Already he has made a name and
place for himself that many an older attorney might well envy.



JOHN MORLEY.

John Morley, a jeweler and optometrist of Eureka, was born in England, March
26, 1864, and is a son of John and Jenifer (Rodda) Morley. The father was a miner
of England and afterward for a few years was at Eureka, Utah, but in 1889 returned
to England and later went to South Africa, where he was prominently identified with
diamond mining, taking large contracts in that connection. He passed away thero
in 1903.

John Morley acquired a common school education in England and in early life
began working in the mines, devoting the hours after the workday was over to learn-
ing the jeweler's trade. In 1886 he came to America, making his way to Eureka with
his father. Here he followed mining until 1893. In the meantime, or in 1889, he
went to England with his father but returned to Eureka after a short visit in that
country. In 1893 he established a jewelry and watch repairing store and is now one
of the oldest business men of the city. He carries an attractive line of goods and
his knowledge of the jewelry trade and his skill in repair work -on jewelry and on
watches have brought to him a gratifying patronage. He is also an optometrist of
merit. In 1894 he was graduated on the completion of a correspondence course from
the Northern Illinois College of Ophthalmology and Otology of Chicago, winning the
Bachelor of Arts degree. He is today the only registered oculist in Juab county. He
afterward pursued a correspondence course with the South Bend College of Optics



582 UTAH SINCE STATEHOOD

and was graduated therefrom. He is today recognized as one of the most capable
oculists of the state and he remains a close student of the science, keeping in touch
with every new idea brought forth in connection therewith. His ability is pro-
nounced and he enjoys the highest respect and confidence of his colleagues and con-
temporaries in the profession.

In 1891 Mr. Morley was married to Miss Sarah Hanks, a native of England, and
they have become parents of three children. John, who was with the United States
army as a member of the One Hundred and Forty-third Field Artillery, Battery F,
received his training at Camp Lewis and at Camp Kearney. Mabel is the wife of
J. M. George, formerly of Provo but now in Palo Alto, California, where he is study-
ing medicine. Albert is a high school pupil.

Mr. Morley has twice served as mayor of Eureka, having first been elected in
1901. He afterward served for three terms as city treasurer and later was again
elected mayor. He had for one term been a member of the city council before his
first election to the mayoralty. As chief executive officer he gave to the city a busi-
nesslike and progressive administration, introducing various measures which were
of great public value. He is a charter member of Tintic Lodge, No. 12, I. O. O. F.,
which was organized in 1889, and he has the twenty-five year jewel of the order and
also the past grand jewel. He is likewise a past master of the Masonic lodge of
Eureka and he was at one time grand master of the grand lodge of Odd Fellows. He
has served on the school board of Eureka for four years, the cause of education finding
in him a stalwart champion. His political allegiance has ever been given to the
republican party since he became an American citizen and he at all times keeps thor-
oughly informed concerning the vital questions and problems of the country. He
has never had occasion to regret his determination to become a resident of the United
States, for he has here found the business opportunities which he sought and in their
utilization has gained a place among the men of affluence in his adopted city, where
he is not only conducting a successful business as a jeweler and optometrist but is
also the owner of an attractive residence, which he occupies, a store building and sev-
eral other residence properties, all of which stand as monuments to his enterprise
and diligence.



GEORGE ALMA ROWSELL.

George Alma Rowsell, proprietor of a mercantile establishment at Magna, was
born in Richmond, Utah, in 1881, a son of William D. and Grace (Lye) Rowsell, who
were natives of England and became pioneer residents of Utah, where they arrived in
the early '50s. The father was a harness maker by trade and followed that business
for a time after coming to this state, while later he turned his attention to railroad-
ing and to farming. He was active in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,
in which he served as a member of the Seventy. He passed away July 2, 1916, at the
age of seventy-two years. He first married Mercy Webber, who was also from England
and who died in 1874. The children born to them were Rosina, now the wife of
Charles Allsop, of Salt Lake City; Elizabeth and Isabella, both deceased; and William
D., Jr., of West Jordan. It was in 1875 that the father married Grace Lye.

George Alma Rowsell was the fifth in order of birth in a family of eleven children,
namely: Albert, a merchant of Welby, Utah; Fred, also living at Welby; Eliza, the
wife of Charles Hoagland, of West Jordan; Walter, a successful carpenter contractor
and builder at 33 South and State streets, Granite ward; George Alma, of this review;
Ellen, the wife of George Davis, of Salt Lake City; Charles, of Millcreek, Utah; Ar-
thur, who is engaged in ranching in Idaho; Bertha, the wife of Cornelius F. Paine, of
Salt Lake City; May, who died in infancy; and Alonzo, also of Salt Lake City.

Being one of a large family in limited circumstances, George Alma Rowsell was
compelled to make his own way through school after passing the fifth grade. He is
a graduate of the high school and was a student of the Brigham Young University at
Provo for three years. He entered upon active connection with mercantile interests
at West Jordan, where for three years he was associated with his brother, and in 1910
removed to Magna, where he entered into partnership with Joseph Lindsay of Tay-
lorville, establishing the Lindsay-Rowsell Company during the early days of Magna's
development. They bought out the bankrupt Giles store and from the beginning their



UTAH SINCE STATEHOOD 583

business grew rapidly. Soon they found their quarters too small and they erected a
modern store building, with part basement, one hundred and ten by eighty-five feet.
This was in 1913. The house has been enjoying a steady and healthy growth from
that time, now doing an annual business of approximately two hundred thousand dollars
and employing as many as fifteen clerks. Mr. Rowsell is also a third owner in a ranch
of two hundred acres near Lava Hot Springs, Idaho, which is being developed into a
fine property, his partners in this undertaking being two of his brothers, Arthur and
Walter.

In 1907 Mr. Rowsell was married to Miss Martha Ferrin, a daughter of James
Ferrin, of Provo, and they have four children: Donna, Garn, Audrey and Merna.
Their home is on Belva avenue in Magna, where in 1917 Mr. Rowsell erected an
attractive modern bungalow. He is an elder in the Mormon church and he gives his po-
litical allegiance to the republican party. He is likewise an active member of the Magna
Commercial Club and stanchly supports all those forces which contribute to the up-
building and development of the city with which he has been identified from the
period of its early villagehood. Throughout the intervening years he has developed a
business of extensive proportions as the result of his close application and indefatiga-
ble energy, and his labors have been attended with splendid results.



OVA LEON PETERSON.

Ova Leon Peterson, who since 1915 has been operating in Fillmore as a member
of the firm of Peterson Brothers, contractors and builders, is a son of Ova and
Amelia (Warner) Peterson, who on coming to Utah in 1858 settled at Fillmore. The
father was a carpenter by trade but took up farming and stock raising in connection
with his carpenter work and prospered in both lines.

Ova Leon Peterson was educated in the schools of the district in which he re-
sided and in 1898, when still in his teens, was called by the dominant church to fill a
mission to the southern states, and while serving in that capacity he laid the foun-
dation for independent thinking by acquiring a knowledge of comparative theology.
He was absent for two and one-half years and received an honorable release. After
his return he had time for reflection and thus began to assimilate the information he
received as a propagandist of the religion he inherited. Thus through study and
deliberation he became convinced that the Golden R*ule was the best of all religions
and that the most consistent Christians were not necessarily members of any church.
He conceived religion to be brotherly treatment of man by man rather than an ac-
ceptance of authority, ritualism, and mystical beliefs. Holding these advanced views,
and desiring to be honest, he requested that his creedal connection with the Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints be severed. After a time his request was
granted and he has since lived without church affiliation, but following closely the
highest moral principles, has enjoyed the unqualified confidence and esteem of his
fellowmen. In the last two decades Mr. Peterson has resided in practically all of the
western states. His return from California to his home town in 1914 was occasioned
by the sickness of his mother, whose death followed in less than a year. In 1915, in
partnership with his brother, Marvin, he established the contracting firm of Peterson
Brothers, which at once took a place of leadership in its line. They have erected in
Fillmore and the surrounding towns many of the leading business houses and fine
residences. They had the contract for the remodeling and enlargement of the Fill-