emigrating to this state. In 1873 he removed to Sevier county and for twenty-three
years was superintendent of Sunday schools in Joseph ward. He was called to his
final rest in 1910 and left to his family the priceless heritage of an untarnished name.

John William Ross was educated in the graded schools of Sevier county and in
the Sevier Stake Academy and following his graduation took up the occupation of
farming. He still devotes a considerable part of his time to his fifty acre tract of
land north of Richfield, which he has brought under a high state of cultivation and
improvement. He was one of the organizers of the Sevier County Farmers Equity
and is its general manager. This important concern operates two plants, one at
Richfield, the other at Salina, and the success of the undertaking has been a marvel
to its stockholders. Though only four years old, the company is doing a business of
fifty thousand dollars per annum and has paid its stockholders ten per cent annually
since its inception. While general dealers in farm implements and supplies, hay,
grain and coal, the company is also sole agent for Sevier county for the Aultman-
Taylor Machinery Company, the Acme Machinery Company, the J. I. Case plows, the
International Harvester line of farm machinery and many other of the leading manu-
facturers of the country. They handle the Cameron coal, which is one of the best
grades of coal on the market. With every branch of the business Mr. Ross is
thoroughly acquainted and in the conduct of the affairs of the association displays
keen discrimination, sound judgment and marked executive ability.

On September 11, 1895, Mr. Ross was married in the Manti Temple to Miss
Eliza Ann Christiansen, a daughter of L. P. Christiansen, of Richfield, and their
children are Vio, Ermon, Warren, L. Roi, Flo, Ula and Richard. The eldest daughter
is the principal of the public schools of Salina.

The church work of Mr. Ross demonstrates his devotion to his faith. In 1897
he was called to a mission in the northern states and labored in Illinois for twenty-
three months. In 1904, upon the organization of the second ward at Richfield, he
was ordained a high priest and set apart as counselor to Bishop Virginus Bean,



UTAH SINCE STATEHOOD 639

holding that office for ten years. In June, 1916, he was set apart as alternate high
counselor of the Sevier stake and in June, 1919, was elevated to the office of high
counselor. In the church, as well as in business, he has always been energetic and
unassuming, believing in clean methods and devotion to the highest ideals. In
politics, while an old line democrat, he is in no sense a politician. He has been
tendered many positions but only once has consented to stand for office, being at
that time a candidate for mayor of Richfield. He feels that his churchly offices, his
business activities and his duties due society in general claim his entire time and
attention and his efforts have been so directed as to win for him a notable measure
of success in every field in which he has labored.



JOHN T. WOODBURY.

John T. Woodbury, filling the office of county clerk of Washington county, has
long been an honored resident of St. George, where for thirty-five years he has been
prominently connected with educational interests. He has also carried on agricul-
tural pursuits and is still the owner of valuable farm property. With various corpora-
tions, too, he is identified and thus his activities have been of a character that have
made valuable contribution to the development and upbuilding of the section of the
state in which he makes his home. He was born at St. George, January 30, 1863, his
parents being Orin N. and Ann (Cannon) Woodbury. The father came to Utah in
1848 and the mother in 1847. They were married in Salt Lake City and in 1861 were
called to help settle Dixie, at which time the family home was established at St.
George. The father always followed farming and he served as a captain in the militia,
a it was necessary to maintain peace by the force of arms in those days owing to the
hostile attitude of the Indians. He was also with Lot Smith, whose acts held up
Johnston's army as he was approaching Salt Lake. Mr. Woodbury has now departed
this life, but the mother is still living at the advanced age of eighty-eight years.

John T. Woodbury acquired a common school education in his native city and
afterward attended the University of Deseret, in which he pursued a normal course
and also a course in English literature, completing his studies there in 1882. This he
followed, however, with summer school courses in the Latter-day Saints College, the
University of Utah and the Brigham Young University. In 1882 he returned to St.
George and began teaching. He has devoted altogether twenty-five years of his life
to that profession. For several years he was president of the faculty of the St. George
public schools and during four years of his quarter of a century devoted to the teach-
ing* profession he was connected with the Latter-day Saints College at Salt Lake City
and was also principal of the Davis Stake Academy for one year. Since leaving the
teaching profession he has been a member of the board of trustees for the public
schools and at present is a member of the county board of education, and also the
stake board of education. While devoting his attention to educational work he like-
wise became interested in agricultural pursuits and managed a farm at St. George,
where he has a fine herd of registered Jersey cattle and he and his sons maintain a
dairy. They also constructed the first silo here. Mr. Woodbury is also a stockholder
in the St. George Ice Company, in the St. George & Washington Canal Company and has
been the secretary of the Santa Clara Irrigation District and of various other cor-
porations.

At St- George, on the 19th of October, 1883, Mr. Woodbury wedded Mary Elizabeth
Evans, daughter of Thomas and Matilda (Commander) Evans. The father, a native
of England, was connected with the internal revenue department in that country. He
came to Utah in 1862 and soon afterward passed away. The mother later married
William Thompson, of Salt Lake City, and both are now deceased. Mrs. Woodbury
was reared by her stepfather and after her school days were over she took up dress-
making, in which she engaged until her marriage. To Mr. and Mrs. Woodbury have
been born nine children: John T., Jr., born at St. George, August 16, 1884, who mar-
ried Nimzar Gagosian, by whom he has six children; Angus M., who was born at
St. George, July 11, 1886, and married Grace Atkin, by whom he has four children;
William E., who was born at St. George, July 1, 1888, and married Verda Sullivan, by
whom he has three children; Matilda, who was born at St. George, August 8, 1890,
and is the wife of William Ruesch, Jr., their children numbering two; Annie, who



640 UTAH SINCE STATEHOOD

was born at Salt Lake City, May 31, 1893, and is the wife of Leroy Hafen, their family
also numbering two children; David O., born at Salt Lake City, April 30, 1895; Mary,
born at St. George, May 13, 1899; Louise, born May 31, 1901; and Rose Lucile, who died
at the age of three years. The son, David, joined the army May 13, 1918, went to
France in August of that year and was in the radio signal service, doing active duty
for three weeks in the trenches. He was discharged June 13, 1919, returning home
the same month.

Mr. Woodbury and his family are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-
day Saints. He has done some home missionary work, was superintendent of the Sun-
day school and stake Sunday school superintendent, counselor to the stake president
of the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association and is now serving as a mem-
ber of the high council. He has also been ward clerk for some time. His son, John
T., Jr., filled a mission of five years to Turkey. Mr. Woodbury is a stalwart champion
of democratic principles, earnestly working for the success of his party. He has
served as a member of the city council for fourteen years, gave to the city a business-
like and progressive administration through two years' service as mayor of St. George,
was county superintendent of schools for three terms, served as county clerk and
recorder from 1907 until 1918 and at the present writing is filling the position of
county clerk. His public duties have been discharged with marked promptness and
fidelity and over the record of his official career there falls no shadow of wrong or
suspicion of evil. He has also made valuable contribution to the welfare and develop-
ment of his section of the state through his labors in the educational field and has
contributed to the material upbuilding of the district through his cooperation with
various business interests and corporations.



HON. JOHN FOY CHIDESTER.

The name of John Foy Chidester is indelibly inscribed upon the pages of Utah's
history. As a distinguished lawyer, as a member of the state constitutional conven-
tion, as a legislator, judge and political leader he did much to shape the development
and promote the progress of the commonwealth. As a youth he suffered ^the handicap
of lack of educational advantages such as were common upon the frontier in a new
country. Throughout his life, however, he eagerly availed himself of every oppor-
tunity for intellectual advancement and was ever a close student and deep thinker.
His ideals of citizenship and of life in general were very high and he utilized every
chance to raise himself to their level.

Judge Chidester was born at Spanish Fork, in Utah county, in 1853, a son of
John Peck and Susan (Foy) Chidester. The father, who was a native of the state
of New York, followed the occupation of farming. He lived the life of a devout
Christian and when his son, Judge Chidester, was very young, removed with his
family to Washington county, Utah, where he had experiences peculiar to the pioneer
development of the state.

The future judge shared in the hardships and privations incident to the settle-
ment of the frontier and attended the schools of the locality, but the school system
had at that time been developed to only a limited degree. He entered public life in
Washington county as a constable and afterward followed various avenues of
endeavor until 1883, when he removed to Panguitch, Utah, and determined to make
the practice of law his life work. He there pursued his reading of Ke.nt, Black-
stone and other commentaries and in 1885 was admitted to practice before the
Utah bar at Beaver, being later admitted to practice before the Supreme bench of
the state. He followed his profession for ten years prior to the admission of the
state into the Union and with the vital problems which came up for settlement
concerning the transformation of Utah from a territory to a state he was closely,
prominently and helpfully associated. He served as a member of the constitu-
tional . convention and left the impress of his individuality and ability upon the
organic law of the state. While a member of that body he made a determined
fight for woman's suffrage and other progressive measures. He was afterward
elected state senator from Garfield county to the first general assembly of Utah
in 1896 and aided in the adjustment of public policy and interests to the new state-
hood. When his term as senator had expired he was elected district attorney of




HON. JOHN F. CHIDESTER



UTAH SINCE STATEHOOD 643

the sixth judicial district and occupied that office for a number of years. He
became a recognized leader in republican circles and was the first republican chair-
man of Garfield county and also delivered the first republican speech in the county
after the division on national party lines. In 1902 he was appointed judge of the
sixth judicial district to succeed W. M. McCarty, who had been elected a member
of the supreme court, and upon the expiration of his appointive term Judge Chid-
ester was elected to the office and remained upon the bench for ten years. In
1911 he became the candidate of his party for member of congress but was de-
feated by a small vote. In 1912 he was appointed a member of the state land
board and served until 1917. Throughout the entire period of his public service
his course was marked by the most earnest devotion to duty a devotion that
manifested itself in close study of every vital situation or problem and unfaltering
effort to bring about the best results for the commonwealth.

In his church work, too, Judge Chidester displayed the same energy and
capacity as in every other field in which he labored. He served on a mission to
the southern states from 1889 until 1903. He was superintendent of Sunday
schools and a high counselor in the Panguitch ward before removing to Richfield
in 1906.

Judge Chidester was twice married. His first wife was Miss Mary Nicoll,
whom he wedded in 1874 and who passed away in 1883, leaving four children.
In 1885 he married Miss Almina Worthen, a daughter of Samuel Worthen, of
Panguitch, a contracting mason who stood high in civil and ecclesiastical circles.
Mrs. Chidester survives her distinguished husband and by her marriage she became
the mother of eleven children. The surviving sons and daughters of Judge Chid-
ester are: Mrs. Stephen Yates, of Salt Lake; Theodore, a resident of Panguitch;
Mrs. Elijah Baker, of Union; Mrs. Leonard Ogden, of Richfield; Samuel H., of
Sigurd; Arnon; Fenton, who was a member of the Medical Corps of the navy
and was honorably discharged in September, 1919; and Louise, Vera, J. Denzel,
Thais and Alton, all of whom reside in Richfield. Mrs. Chidester and her sons
Arnon and Denzel own and conduct a farm of forty-three acres four miles north
of the city of Richfield.

The death of Judge Chidester occurred in Richfield, July 7, 1917, and was
the occasion of the deepest regret, not only in his home city and in Sevier county
but throughout the state. He was a man of jovial, kindly disposition, who easily
made friends by reason of his sterling personal worth and always retained their
warm friendship and regard. He was steadfast, honorable, kindly and helpful,
and his enemies and political opponents never once, even in the heat of party
politics, questioned his integrity. He was charitable to a degree but without
ostentation, and so quietly were his good deeds performed that ofttimes none knew
of them save himself and the recipients. He was every inch a man and one in
whose death southern Utah lost a most valuable citizen, the bar an illustrious
member and many poor families a generous friend. It has been said: "Not the
good that comes to us, but the good that comes to the world through us is the
measure of our success," and judged by this standard John Foy Chidester was
a most successful man.



JOHN F. LEVANGER.

John F. Levanger, successfully conducting farming and stock raising interests and
also manager of the Glendale Cooperative Store since 1915, was. born in Kane county,
Utah, June 23, 1880, his parents being Neils J. and Carrie (Holtegaard) Levanger, who in
1874 came to Utah, settling at Coalville. After four years they removed to Upper Kanab,
Utah, and twelve years later took up their abode at Glendale, where Mr. Levanger has
since engaged in carpentering. He is a very industrious and energetic man, conscientious
in his work, and still remains an active representative of the trade although he is now
seventy-five years of age. He has prospered in his undertakings but enjoys the occu-
pation to which he has devoted his life and is still engaged in building operations in
Glendale.

John F. Levanger is indebted to the district schools of Glendale and the valley for
the educational opportunities which he enjoyed. After his textbooks were put aside he
began farming and stock raising in Upper Kanab and ten years later disposed of his

Vol. IV 41



644 UTAH SINCE STATEHOOD

interests there, removing to Glendale, where he yet carries on farming and stock rais-
ing. His interests of this character have constantly developed and he is a progressive
agriculturist who meets every obstacle and difficulty with a determination and energy
that enable him to push steadily forwar'd to the goal of success. In 1907 he bought an
interest in the Glendale Cooperative Store and in 1915 became its manager. He now
owns the controlling interest and carries a complete line of general merchandise. His
geniality and obligingness have made him well liked by the people and he is now ac-
corded a liberal patronage.

On the 22d of August, 1906, Mr. Levanger was married to Miss Bertha Seaman, who
was a daughter of J. W. and Alice (Wright) Seaman, of Panguitch, where her father
followed the milling business in Long valley for many years and also handled live stock
and engaged in farming. Mrs. Levanger passed away December 30, 1909, leaving two
children: Alber, born December 26, 1907; and Ray, born December 13, 1909. Mr.
Levanger was married again in 1912, when Aletha Hopkins became his wife. She is
a daughter of Joseph W. and Abigail (Brimhall) Hopkins, prominent people of Glen-
dale. To Mr. and Mrs. Levanger have been born two sons and a daughter: Ross, who
was born April 4, 1914; Irene, July 17, 1915; and Bernard, July 22, 1917. The children
are all natives of Glendale.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints finds in Mr. Levanger a faithful
follower and he is superintendent of the Sunday school and ward clerk and he also
filled a mission as worker in the St. George Temple. His political endorsement is given
the republican party, and he keeps well informed on the questions and issues of the day
but has never sought nor desired office. He has concentrated his attention upon his
church, his family interests and his business, and his careful management of his com-
mercial and agricultural interests has gained him place among the prosperous resi-
dents of Kane county.



HENRY EYRING BOWMAN.

Henry Eyring Bowman, who is engaged in merchandising at Kanab, where he is
manager of Bowman & Company, conducting important commercial interests, was born
in Salt Lake City, February 10, 1859, his parents being Isaac and Bertha (Eyring)
Bowman. The father came to Utah in 1849. He was a native of Ohio and was on his
way to California. Stopping for the winter in this state, he was converted to the Mor-
mon faith, married here and became one of the early school teachers, having among
his pupils the sons of the pioneer settlers of Salt Lake. He also acted as a clerk for
the firm of Livingston & Kincade and also for William Jennings, who were pioneer
merchants of Utah. He lived for a time in Ogden and afterward became a pioneer of
Morgan county. Owing to the loss of his crops, which were destroyed by grasshoppers,
he returned to Salt Lake to earn money in order to continue the development of his
farm. He worked for a time for Eldredge & Clawson and later returned to Morgan
county, this time being successful in the conduct of his agricultural interests. He
afterward again took up his abode in Salt Lake City, where he passed away. He was
married in 1858 to Bertha Eyring, a native of Germany, who after coming to America
settled in St. Louis, Missouri, and was there converted to the Mormon faith. She,
too, has departed this life.

Henry E. Bowman attended the common schools of Morgan, his father being his
teacher. Later he spent four years in the mines of Nevada and Silver Reef. In 1885
he was graduated from the normal department of the Brigham Young Academy at
Provo and at once accepted a position as teacher at Kanab. He taught for four years
and in 1889 turned his attention to merchandising, conducting his store until 1897,
when he sold out to go on a mission to Switzerland and Germany. He remained for
thirty-four months, his family living in Provo during that period, and during the last
two years of his stay abroad he was president of the mission in Switzerland. In 1900
Mr. Bowman returned to his home and soon afterward removed to Mexico, where he
engaged in general merchandising at Colonia Dublan. He conducted his interests quite
extensively, carrying on both a wholesale and retail trade and doing a business amount-
ing to seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars annually. He also handled railroad
contracts, often employing as many as a thousand men. In 1912, when the Mormon
colonists were being driven out of Mexico, he assisted in listing the property which



UTAH SINCE STATEHOOD 645

they were forced to leave behind that future claims might be made against Mexico.
He also aided the people in removing to El Paso, Texas, and after accomplishing this
great task he remained in Texas and New Mexico for four years longer, hoping to get
back some of his properties. In January, 1916, he returned to Kanab and again pur-
chased an interest in the old business which he had previously sold and which had
been incorporated in 1892 under the name of Bowman & Company. In the meantime
his losses in Mexico had amounted to over one hundred thousand dollars. But he
is a man of resolute spirit and determination and bids fair to make back the for-
tune he lost in Mexico. Since his return he has continued as manager of the store
at Kanab and is now controlling an excellent business.

At St. George, Utah, on the 5th of September, 1885, Mr. Bowman was married to
Miss Mary Gubler, daughter of Henry and Mary (Deutschweiler) Gubler, who were
natives of Switzerland and after coming to America crossed the plains with a hand-
cart company. They were married in 1862 after arriving in Salt Lake City and in
the same year were called to help settle St. George. Mr. Gubler then followed farm-
ing at that place until his death, which occurred in 1876. The mother afterward ac-
companied her daughter, Mrs. Bowman, to "Mexico, where she passed away. To Mr.
and Mrs. Bowman were born eight children. Henry E., Jr., who was born at St.
George, August 6, 1886, married Eva Done, by whom he has five children. Othello C.,
who was born in Kanab, April 4, 1888, married Grace Woolley. Claudius, who was
born in Kanab September 6, 1890, married Jennie Robinson, by whom he has four
children. The others are: Waldemar, who was born in Kanab, October 20, 1892;
Harold, born in Kanab, August 20, 1894; Deveroux W., born in Provo, July 4, 1897;
Bernardo, born in Mexico, March 16, 1902; and Mary Bertha, born in Mexico Septem-
ber 17, 1904. Mr. Bowman was later married in Mexico by A. W. Ivins to Wilhelmina
Walser, a daughter of John J. and Louise (Schearer) Walser, and they have four
children: Maybelle, who was born in Mexico in 1905; Kenneth, born in Mexico in
1907; Maynard, born in Mexico in 1909; and Zerita, born in El Paso, Texas, in 1912.
The sons Othello and Harold joined the army in November, 1917, and both went to
France, where they remained for fifteen months. Both were with the commissary
department, with the rank of sergeant, and were slated for lieutenancy when the
armistice was signed. Othello returned home in April, 1919, and Harold arrived in
May, 1919. Waldemar volunteered at El Paso, Texas, took the officers' training course
at San Antonio and received a lieutenant's commission. He then went to France in
the same department with his brothers and was there for a year, after which he was
discharged in August, 1919. Deveroux was in the Student Army Training Corps at
Provo when the war closed and he was released.

The family have always been adherents of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-
day Saints, and Mr. Bowman was a member of the High Council both in Kanab and
in Mexico. His son, Henry E., Jr., filled a mission to Mexico and Othello, previous
to the war, filled a mission to Germany. At the present writing Othello is the newly
elected mayor of Kanab. In politics Mr. Bowman has long been an earnest repub-
lican and served as the first county chairman of his party in Kane county. He was
also the secretary of the first republican convention of the state, held at Provo in
1893, and is recognized as one of the prominent republican leaders of Utah. He has
filled the offices of county surveyor and county attorney and was admitted to the bar
of the Sixth district when Utah became a state. Mr. Bowman is a man of strong pur-
pose, of well defined principles, never occupying an equivocal position upon any vital
question, and his course has at all times commanded the respect and confidence of his
fellowmen.



HANS C. SORENSEN.

Hans C. Sorensen, of Mount Carmel, Kane county, interested in farming and stock
raising, was born in Denmark, November 30, 1864, and is a son of Mads and Kirsten
(Larson) Sorensen. The father came to Utah in 1873 with his family, settling first