Joseph William Summerhays

Mormon Pioneer:

Joseph William Summerhays was born at Pimlico, Middlesex, England, on January 15, 1849, the first child of Caleb Summerhays, and Margaret Moore. He had two younger sisters, Mary and Hester, and two half sisters, Jane and Eliza, children of his mother by a previous marriage. Jane, the older sister, was an invalid and did not have the use of her legs.

His parents joined the church in March 1850. In 1859 he had his only schooling in a small private school. The family was in very limited circumstances, so at age 10 he left school to work in a print shop. Later he wrote, “During this period we saw hard and bitter times. I have seen mother many times buy a half loaf of bread and a cent’s worth of black molasses, to share among all of us”. Later he worked with his father and learned to be a stone mason.

By 1866 when he was 17 he and other members of the family had saved enough money for one person to make a trip to Utah. It was decided that he should go to Utah and prepare the way for the rest of the family to follow. On May 5 1866 as part of an immigration company of 389 Saints he left on what proved to be a five week voyage to New York. From there they went by boat to New Haven Connecticut, where they were loaded on boxcars to Chicago. They then traveled on passenger coaches to Quincy, Illinois, where they took a river steamer to Wyoming, Nebraska. There he hired out to drive three yoke of oxen hitched to a wagon to cross the plains. They left on August 9, and arrived in Salt Lake October 11. During the trip they had trouble with the Indians and severe snow storms. During the trip thirty members of the company died. When he got to Utah the only trade he knew was stone masonry. He worked at that when he could and filled in with other odd jobs including construction work on the Union Pacific Railroad.

He was ordained an Elder on June 27, 1870, and on the same day married Mary Melissa Parker, Mary Catherine Bishop on June 19, 1882, Sarah Berrett on June 5, 1884, and Hilda Johnson on November 16, 1888. By these four wives he had 39 children.

For several years he was associated with Hiram B. Clawson in the hide and wool business. Then in 1883 when he founded J. W. Summerhays & Sons. This was a hide and wool business and was his principal business interest for the rest of his life. In addition at various time he was one of the organizers of the Granite Paper Mill, one of the organizers of the Big Cottonwood Power Company, and for many years a member of the Board of Directors of the Deseret News where he served on the executive committee. He also had interests in the Utah Tanning Company, West Jordan Woolen Mills, Salt Lake Mattress Company and the Boston Hide Company.

He traveled extensively, including visits to David Witmer, and Martin Harris to hear first hand their testimony of the Book of Mormon. He was at the dedication of the Salt Lake, Manti and Logan Temples. During the Indian troubles 1867-69 he served on the Territory Militia.

He was ordained a Seventy on March 11, 1876, and served as a home missionary for many years, in addition to his full time mission in the Eastern States 1901-02. In the 16th ward he served as President of the Y.M.M.I.A., teacher and secretary in the Sunday School and as member of the building committee when they were building a new chapel. In the Forest Dale Ward he was head of the High Priests. He was a member of the Temple and Genealogical Committee of the Granite Stake. For years he was a member of the Deseret Sunday School Union Board. For a time he also served as a member of the Board of Religion Classes.

In addition to his church callings he served in the community. He was the first Mayor and Chairman of the Town Board of Forest Dale before it became a part of Salt Lake City. Among other positions he served as a School Trustee, and Chairman of the Water and Power Commission.

He died 28 June 1929 in Salt Lake City, Utah. His funeral was held in the Forest Dale Ward Chapel. Among the speakers was David O. McKay. During his remarks he said:

           “In January 1887 he was called to serve on the Sunday School   Union General Board.  When I was a member of the Stake Sunday Union Board of Weber County he would visit us in his capacity as a General Board Member.  We enjoyed his visits, and admired him for what he was and what he did.  I have been intimately associated with him in other ways, and knew members of his family well.  One of his outstanding virtues was sincerity.  His whole soul centered on what he thought was right.  Next to that virtue I would say loyalty.  I always looked on him as a friend that could be depended upon under all circumstances.  I would also like to comment on his enthusiasm.  He inspired his fellow workers.  The work was carried on the more because of his enthusiasm.  And finally I will name his implicit faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ.  From generation to generation his name will be held in honor.”

The Deseret News published the following tribute to him:

            “In the death of Joseph William Summerhays the News loses a long-time and highly esteemed associate and friend.  For many years he served faithfully and well on our Board of Directors.  In business affairs he was energetic and capable, independent withal and courageous in pursuing the policy which appeared to deserve the approval of his integrity, promptness, and fair dealing.  Those who came in contact with him always had the highest respect for him.  He earned his place as one of our leading citizens.  His activity and influence have been felt for good in many directions and the circles in which he has been a leading figure will surely miss him.”

http://www.summerhays.org/FamilyTreasures/SummerhaysJosephWilliam/F...

"...W[illia]m. C. Staines was <the> energetic immigration agent during the year 1866. During one of his talks that I listened to he advised the young men to hire out to some of the trains that were going to cross the Plains and work their passage. This I did. I found Captain Scott's train and made arrangements with him to drive a Church team across the plains. I was nearly two months before we left the Missouri River. In the meantime I hired out doing such jobs as I could. With the means I thus earned, I supported myself for the two months and succeeded in getting a meager outfit of clothes which I needed badly to cross the plains. Captain Scott's train pulled out of Wyoming for S.L. on the ninth of August, 1866. I drove a Second Ward Team. We arrived in S.L. on the eleventh of October following. During the trip across the plains we had some experiences with the Indians. We also had some bad snowstorms in which many of our cattle died. The company of immigrants appeared to be a sickly one and we burried more people on the plains that year than any other outfit with the exception of Captain Lowry' whose was the last train of the season and was behind us..."

SOURCE: Summerhays, Joseph William, Reminiscences, 2, in Caleb Summerhays family research work, ca.1546-1954. Retrieved from: http://www.lds.org/churchhistory/library/source/1,18016,4976-10122,...

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Son of Margaret Moore and Caleb Summerhays.

Joseph Married:

(1) 27 June 1870, Mary Melissa Parker, by whom he had 16 children.

Note: have not found Mary Melissa's following children:
Caleb Ephriam 1871-1969, died Los Angeles, Cal; Mary Elizabeth 1888-1969 (md. Henry Arnold Rich) died possibly Calif.; Florence 1892-1972 (md. Emil Schaerr) died El Toro, Orange, Cal.

(2) 19 June 1882, Mary Catherine Bishop, by whom he had one son, who died within 20 days; his mother died within a week of his birth.

(3) 5 June 1884, Sarah Jane Berrett, by whom he had 10 children.

(4) 16 November 1888, Hilda Jonsson (Johnson), by whom he had 12 children.

Thanks for Obituary provided by Julee J. Hicks:

The Salt Lake Tribune, Saturday Morning, June 29, 1929 Page 32 Joseph W. Summerhays Dies at local Hospital

Joseph W. Summerhays, 80, of 3421 Seventh East street, died early Saturday morning at a local hospital following an operation for appendicitis. Mrs. Summerhays, as president of the J. W. Summerhays & Sons company, had long been prominent in the wool business of Salt Lake: he was also active in the affairs of the L.D.S. church. Mr. Summerhays was born January 15, 1849, in Sommersetshsire, England and came to American when 16 years old. He is survived by his widow, Mary M. Summerhays, and nine children.

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Jan 12 2017, 19:37:06 UTC
• Residence: St John The Evangelist, Middlesex, England - 1851
• Residence: Chelsea, London, Middlesex, England - 1861