Catherine Spencer Young to Ellen Spencer Clawson, 1865-1867

File — Box: 2, Folder: 22

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

From the Collection: The Hiram B. Clawson papers (1846-1947) consist mainly of correspondence. Some materials have been digitized and are available online. The earliest letters are from 1847, and are of Orson Spencer to his children in Council Bluffs and Salt Lake City while on his mission to the British Isles and from relatives of Catherine Curtis Spencer showing concern fro the children after the mother, Catherine Curtis Spencer, died in 1846 during the exodus from Nauvoo. Hiram Clawson's letters to Ellen Spencer Clawson cover the period from 1857 to 1894 and record his time with the Nauvoo Legion in Echo Canyon and Fort Bridger in 1857 observing the approaching army; buying trips to eastern cities for Zion's Corporate Mercantile Institution (ZCMI); time spent in the Territorial Penitentiary from 1885 through 1886; a trip to Arizona to establish friendly relations between two territories; and activities in Washington, D.D., during 1892 and 1894. Most of his correspondence deals with family problems. Rarely are any business matters discussed. The remaining correspondence includes letters from children of Hiram and Ellen Clawson and from relatives in Eastern United States who did not join the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), but who remained close to the family through correspondence. Three unpublished "Dear Ellen" letters were written by Ellen Pratt McGary dated 8 January 1857; 6 August 1857; and 23 April 1870, Beaver, Utah, appear in the collection. These were missing at the time of publication of the exchange of letters between Ellen S. Clawson and Ellen Pratt McGary by S. George Ellsworth in the Western Humanities Review 13 (1959). These letters give an interesting picture of polygamy. Other items included in the collection are: Salt Lake Theater programs, photographs of family and early Salt Lake City, patriarchal blessings of Ellen Spencer Clawson, poetry of Ellen and Hiram Clawson, and Eliza R. Snow.

Dates

1865-1867

Conditions Governing Access

Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.

Some original items have been removed and placed in Reserve. Access must be given by the Manuscripts Curator and by appointment. An archivist must remain with the items if being used. Photocopies are available in the collection for research use.