Thomas Battersby Child papers
Collection
Identifier: ACCN 1877
Scope and Contents
The Thomas Battersby Child papers consist of his collected writings, focusing on two aspects of his life, the LDS Church, and a park he created in his backyard, the Gilgal Sculpture Garden, now protected by Salt Lake City as a public park.
Dates
- 1909-2000
Creator
- Child, Thomas Battersby, 1888-1963 (Person)
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.
Conditions Governing Use
The library does not claim to control copyright for all materials in the collection. An individual depicted in a reproduction has privacy rights as outlined in Title 45 CFR, part 46 (Protection of Human Subjects). For further information, please review the J. Willard Marriott Library’s Use Agreement and Reproduction Request forms.
iographical Note
Thomas Battersby Child was born in Salt Lake City, Utah on May 6, 1888. He was an expert mason and masonry contractor; husband; and bishop of the LDS Tenth Ward. Married to Bertha Derrick Runel (1891-1965) in 1911, they had three children. He was president of Thomas B. Child and Co., a masonry contracting firm founded by his father. He built the stone and brick work for many prominent buildings in Utah including: the Ogden High School; the chapel for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Washington, D. C.; LDS temples in Idaho Falls, Idaho and Los Angeles, California; and more. He served as senior member of the Sons of Utah Pioneers Luncheon Club.
One of his crowning achievements of his life was the park he created in his backyard, which amounts to his testament to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The park contains Thomas Child's interpretation, in stone, of the basic tenets of the church, Christianity and work. Called the Gilgal Sculpture Garden, the grounds were purchased from its current owners, the Henry Fetzer family by The Friends of Gilgal in 1999 for $670.000. It was then turned over to Salt Lake City, which maintains and protects it as a public park.
One of his crowning achievements of his life was the park he created in his backyard, which amounts to his testament to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The park contains Thomas Child's interpretation, in stone, of the basic tenets of the church, Christianity and work. Called the Gilgal Sculpture Garden, the grounds were purchased from its current owners, the Henry Fetzer family by The Friends of Gilgal in 1999 for $670.000. It was then turned over to Salt Lake City, which maintains and protects it as a public park.
Extent
5.25 Linear Feet (7 boxes, 1 oversize box, and 1 map case folder)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
The Thomas Battersby Child papers (1909-2000) consist of his collected writings, focusing on two aspects of his life, the LDS Church, and a park he created in his backyard, the Gilgal Sculpture Garden, now protected by Salt Lake City as a public park. Child was a mason, businessman, husband, and a bishop of the LDS Church.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donated by Hortense Child Smith in 2003.
Oversize map case folder donated by Robert L. Bliss in 2009.
Oversize map case folder donated by Robert L. Bliss in 2009.
Processing Information
Processed by Elizabeth Rogers.
Creator
- Child, Thomas Battersby, 1888-1963 (Person)
- Title
- Inventory of the Thomas Battersby Child papers
- Author
- Finding aid created by Betsey Welland.
- Date
- 2019
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English.
Repository Details
Part of the J. Willard Marriott Library Special Collections Repository
Contact:
295 South 1500 East
Salt Lake City Utah 84112 United States
801-581-8863
special@library.utah.edu
295 South 1500 East
Salt Lake City Utah 84112 United States
801-581-8863
special@library.utah.edu