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John Mills Whitaker Papers: Finding Aid
mssWhitaker papers
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Title: John Mills Whitaker Papers
Dates (inclusive): 1883-1960
Bulk dates: 1883-1949
Collection Number: mssWhitaker papers
Creator:
Whitaker, John Mills, 1863-1960.
Extent: 40 pieces in 2 boxes.
Repository:
The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens.
Manuscripts Department
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Phone: (626) 405-2129
Email: reference@huntington.org
URL: http://www.huntington.org
Abstract: This collection consists of the typed transcripts of the journals keep by Mormon missionary and active church member John
Mills
Whitaker (1863-1960) and a typed transcript of the funeral service held for him. The
journals cover the majority of Whitaker’s life and discuss both his personal and professional life in Utah between 1883 and
1960.
Language: English.
Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services
Department. For more information, contact Reader Services.
The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to
quote from or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such
activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is
one, and obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.
[Identification of item]. John Mills Whitaker Papers, The Huntington Library, San
Marino, California.
Acquired on January 5, 1956.
A photocopy of a transcript of the funeral service of John Mills Whitaker
(1863-1960) was a gift of Eugene T. Whitaker, on May 5, 1975.
Related Materials in the Huntington Library
Forms part of the Mormon File, 1807-1962.
John Mills Whitaker (1863-1960) was born in Centerville, Utah. His parents were
Thomas William and Elizabeth Mills Whitaker. At an early age he studied the Isaac
Pitman system of shorthand. With this skill Whitaker began recording speeches and
sermons given in the Mormon Church.
While going to school at the University of Deseret he began working part time for
Franklin Dewey Richards (1821-1899). In 1886, Whitaker married Ida Oakley Taylor,
the daughter of John Taylor (1808-1887), the then president of The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints. They went on to have 9 children.
Whitaker helped establish the Salt Lake Stake Library and Free Reading Room, was
secretary to John Willard Young (1844-1924) while he owned the Salt lake and Fort
Douglas Railway and assisted him in establishing the Utah Western Railway Company,
was secretary for the Deseret Sunday School Union, took part in the Eastern States
Mission, was involved in the prohibition movement, developed curriculum and taught
at the Granite Seminary School, and helped in public welfare programs after the
depression of 1929.
He also found the time to serve as bishop of the Sugar House ward and to transcribe
all of his yearly journals from shorthand into typewritten transcripts.
Bibliography
University of Utah. Libraries. Western Americana Dept.
Register of The Papers of John Mills Whitaker (Salt Lake City, Utah: University of Utah, 1969). Manuscript reference CD 3549.5 .U88 no. 2
This collection consists of the typed transcripts of the journals keep by John Mills
Whitaker (1863-1960) and a typed transcript of the funeral service held for him. The
journals cover the majority of Whitaker’s life and discuss both his personal as well
as professional life.
Several journals deal with his functions as a secretary to Franklin Dewey Richards
(1821-1899) where Whitaker discusses the political oppression of the Mormons by the
United States government, the public and political opposition to the practice of
polygamy, and the persecution of the Mormons. Some of the people covered in these
journals include George Quayle Cannon (1827-1901), Grover Cleveland (1837-1908),
Erastus Fairbanks Snow (1818-1888), Lorenzo Snow (1814- 1901), and Wilford Woodruff
(1807-1898).
Other journals deal with Whitaker’s functions as secretary to John Willard Young
(1844-1924), and he discusses in detail the financial aspects of the railroads being
built in Utah, public education, and the statehood of Utah. In later journals
Whitaker discusses Brigham Henry Roberts (1857-1933) and Reed Smoot (1862-1941) and
their problems in dealing with the U. S. Congress.
The collection is arranged in the following manner:
1. Journals – folder titles have been copied from the original folders that the collection was housed in when they first arrived
at the library (Box 1)
2. Journals and funeral service transcript (Box 2)
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the
Huntington Library's Online Catalog.
Cleveland, Grover,
1837-1908.
Whitaker, John Mills,
1863-1960.
Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints. Eastern States Mission.
Deseret Sunday School
Union.
University of
Deseret.
Utah Western Railway
Company.
Curriculum planning -- Utah.
Depressions -- 1929 -- United
States.
Education -- Utah.
Libraries -- Utah -- History -- 19th
century -- Sources.
Libraries -- Utah -- History -- 20th
century -- Sources.
Mormon Church -- Bishops.
Mormon Church -- Doctrines --
Polygamy.
Mormon Church -- Utah -- History --
19th century -- Sources.
Mormon Church -- Utah -- History --
20th century -- Sources.
Mormon Church -- Political
activity.
Mormon Church -- Public
opinion.
Mormons -- Archival
resources.
Mormons -- Civil rights.
Mormons -- Doctrines.
Mormons -- Education.
Mormons -- Legal status, laws,
etc.
Mormons -- Missions.
Mormons -- Persecutions.
Mormons -- Political activity --
History -- 19th century.
Mormons -- Political activity --
History -- 20th century.
Mormons -- Social conditions.
Mormons -- Utah -- History -- 19th
century -- Sources.
Mormons -- Utah -- History -- 20th
century -- Sources.
Mormons -- Utah -- Social life and
customs.
Polygamy -- Religious aspects -- Mormon
Church.
Prohibition -- Utah.
Public schools -- Utah.
Public welfare -- United States --
History.
Railroads -- Utah.
Shorthand.
Sunday schools -- History.
Theology -- Study and teaching --
United States.
Utah --
Statehood.
Centerville (Utah) --
Description and travel.
Diaries -- Utah -- 19th century.
Diaries -- Utah -- 20th century.
Cannon, George Q. (George Quayle),
1827-1901.
Cleveland, Grover, 1837-1908.
Richards, F. D. (Franklin Dewey),
1821-1899.
Roberts, B. H. (Brigham Henry),
1857-1933.
Smoot, Reed, 1862-1941.
Snow, Erastus Fairbanks, 1818-1888.
Snow, Lorenzo, 1814-1901.
Taylor, John, 1808-1887.
Woodruff, Wilford, 1807-1898.
Young, John W. (John Willard),
1844-1924.