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Whitney Smith photograph collection

 Collection
Identifier: UUS_P0034

Scope and Contents

The Whitney Smith photographic collection consists of 525 portraits and snapshots of the Smith and Whitney Families (including vacations to Saltair, Bryce Canyon National Park, and Yellowstone National Park), sketches by Charles S. Whitney, and early Mormon Church leaders such as John Henry Smith.

Dates

  • 1860-1960
  • Majority of material found within 1880-1929

Language of Materials

Collection materials are in English.

Restrictions

Open to public research.

Copyright

It is the responsibility of the user to obtain permission to publish from the owner of the copyright (the institution, the creator of the record, the author or his/her transferees, heirs, legates, or literary executors). The user agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Utah State University Libraries, its officers, employees, and agents from and against all claims made by any person asserting that he or she is an owner of copyright.

Permission to publish material from the Whitney Smith photograph collection must be obtained from the Special Collections Photograph Curator and/or the Special Collections Department Head.

Biographical Note

Helen Mar Kimball Whitney Family

Helen Mar Whitney (1838-1896) was the daughter of Heber C. Kimball and Vilate Murray. She was a prominent early Utah pioneer and a frequent contributor to the Women's Exponent. Her husband, Horace K. Whitney (1823-1884) was a pioneer in Salt Lake Valley and worked at the LDS Church's printing and tithing office. Her son, Orson F. Whitney (1855-1931) became an apostle in the LDS Church on April 9, 1906.

John Henry Smith Family

John Henry Smith (1848-1911) was born to George A. Smith and his fifth wife, Sarah Ann. He married Sarah Farr (1849-1921) on October 20, 1866 and his second wife, Josephine (1857-1948) on April 7, 1877. He served an LDS mission in 1874 to Great Britain, but was summoned home at his father's death in 1875. In November of 1882 he became President of the European Mission. Smith also served in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, acted as head of the LDS Church (due to the incarceration of Church leaders on polygamy charges), and was the second counselor to Joseph F. Smith. His political positions included assistant clerk to the territorial house of representatives, member of the state legislature, president of the Utah constitutional convention, and president of the Mexican Colonization and Agricultural Company.

John and Sarah's son Winslow Farr Smith (1881-1966) served on an LDS mission to Germany between 1902 and 1905, and on April 9, 1906 he was ordained a member of the 3rd quorum of the 70. He married Emily Whitney, the daughter of Orson F. Whitney and Zina B. Smoot, on June 7, 1906. Between 1919 and 1923 Winslow served as mission president of the Northern States Mission, and from 1924 until 1940 he served as the President for the Ensign Stake.

Winslow Whitney Smith (1907-1994) was born on May 14, 1907 to Winslow Farr Smith and Emily Whitney Smith. He served in the LDS German Mission from 1927 to 1930 and later served as Mission President to the Swiss-German Mission from 1961 until 1965.

Information for these histories was obtained through MS246, MS179, www.familysearch.org and Builders of the kingdom, by Pusey © 1981.

Extent

6 boxes (1.7 cubic ft.)

Abstract

525 cartes-de-visite, cabinet cards, studio portraits, photo-postcards, and snapshots, from the 1860s to 1960s, of the Smith and Whitney Families (including vacations to Saltair, Bryce Canyon National Park, and Yellowstone National Park), sketches by Charles S. Whitney, and early Mormon Church leaders such as John Henry Smith.

Arrangement

Organized numerical by photo number.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Collected by Whitney/Smith family.

Related Materials

Helen Mar Whitney papers (COLL MS 179)

Winslow Farr Smith PapersCOLL MSS 246

Winslow Whitney Smith papersCOLL MS 247

Separated Materials

Photographs removed from Helen Mar Whitney papers (MSS 179), Winslow Farr Smith papers COLL MSS 246, and Winslow Whitney Smith papers (MSS 247).

Processing Information

Register completed by Peter F. Schmid, January 1998, and revised Liz Woolcott/Jennifer Feik, February 2004.

Title
Guide to the Whitney Smith photograph collection, 1860-1960
Author
Finding aid created by Peter F. Schmid, January 1998, and revised Liz Woolcott/Jennifer Feik, February 2004.
Date
©2008
Description rules
Finding Aid Based On Dacs (Describing Archives: A Content Standard, 2nd Edition)
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
Finding guide is in English in Latin script.
Sponsor
Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant, 2007-2008

Revision Statements

  • April 28, 2008: Template information was updated to reflect Utah Manuscript Association best practices.
  • 2009: Template information was updated to reflect Archives West best practice guidelines.

Repository Details

Part of the Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives Repository

Contact:
Merrill-Cazier Library
Utah State University
3000 Old Main Hill
Logan Utah 84322-3000 United States
435 797-8248
435 797-2880 (Fax)