John Edge Booth
Born 29 June 1847 at Leigh, Lancashire, England.[1] Son of Richard Thornton Booth and Elsie Edge.[2] Emigrated from Liverpool, Lancashire, aboard the George Washington, arriving in Boston 20 Apr. 1857.[3] Migrated to the Salt Lake Valley with the Jesse B. Martin pioneer company, arriving 12 Sept. 1857.[4] Baptized as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1 Oct. 1857.[5] Served in the Blackhawk War, Aug.–Oct. 1866.[6] Attended Deseret University, 1869–1870.[7] Taught at several local schools, including Brigham Young Academy, 1870–1871, 1876–1877, 1884–1913.[8] Married Marie Josephine Harvey, 1 Oct. 1873, in Salt Lake City.[9] Served as a counselor and then as bishop of the Fourth Ward in Provo, Utah Co., Utah Territory, 1875–1895.[10] Practiced law, 1875–1899.[11] Participated in plural marriage.[12] Served in three sessions of the Utah territorial legislature, 1882, 1890, 1894.[13] Participated in the Utah constitutional conventions, 1882, 1887.[14] Served two missions to the northern U.S.; served as counselor to the mission president, 1883–1884, and as mission president, 1889–1890.[15] Served as alderman, city attorney, and justice of the peace in Provo.[16] Elected mayor of Provo, 1890–1891.[17] Gave the principal address at a woman’s suffrage meeting; EBW presided, 3 Feb. 1894.[18] Introduced a memorial in the Utah legislature to restore the franchise to women, 1 Mar. 1894.[19] Served as judge in the Fourth District of Utah, 1899–1913.[20] Graduated from Brigham Young University, 1904.[21] Died 28 Mar. 1920 in Salt Lake City.[22]
[1] “Endowments of the Living, 1851–1884,” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Endowment House, vol. G, 31 Oct. 1868–11 Nov. 1872, p. 51, line 4, John Edge Booth, 1 Feb. 1869, microfilm 1239501, DGS 7751472 (restricted access), FHL. Elsie Delia Adams, John Edge Booth, 1847–1920 (Springville, UT: Art City Publishing, 1962), 22. 1851 England and Wales Census, Bedford, Lancashire, p. 24, John Booth. “Family Tree,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org, accessed 3 July 2020), John Edge Booth (KWCC-75T).
[2] 1851 England and Wales Census, Bedford, Lancashire, p. 24, John Booth. “Endowments of the Living, 1851–1884,” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Endowment House, vol. G, 31 Oct. 1868–11 Nov. 1872, p. 51, line 4, John Edge Booth, 1 Feb. 1869, microfilm 1239501, DGS 7751472 (restricted access), FHL. Elsie Delia Adams, John Edge Booth, 1847–1920 (Springville, UT: Art City Publishing, 1962), 22.
[3] The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, European Mission, Emigration Records, 1849–1885, 1899–1923, p. 13, John Booth, microfilm 25691, DGS 8087183, image 225/762, FHL. “John Booth,” Saints by Sea (https://saintsbysea.lib.byu.edu/, accessed 7 July 2020). Elsie Delia Adams, John Edge Booth, 1847–1920 (Springville, UT: Art City Publishing, 1962), 23.
[4] “John Edge Booth,” Pioneer Database (https://history.churchofjesuschrist.org/overlandtravel/, accessed 7 July 2020). Elsie Delia Adams, John Edge Booth, 1847–1920 (Springville, UT: Art City Publishing, 1962), 23.
[5] Elsie Delia Adams, John Edge Booth, 1847–1920 (Springville, UT: Art City Publishing, 1962), 23. “Endowments of the Living, 1851–1884,” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Endowment House, vol. G, 31 Oct. 1868–11 Nov. 1872, p. 51, line 4, John Edge Booth, 1 Feb. 1869, microfilm 1239501, DGS 7751472 (restricted access), FHL.
[6] National Archives and Records Administration, Veterans Administration Master Index, 1917–1940, John Edge Booth, DGS 105124164, image 5989/7999, FHL.
[7] Elsie Delia Adams, John Edge Booth, 1847–1920 (Springville, UT: Art City Publishing, 1962), 26. Andrew Jenson, Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia, vol. 1 (Salt Lake City: Andrew Jenson History, 1901), 494.
[8] “John Edge Booth,” BYH~BYA Alumni & Faculty Directory by Last (Maiden) Name, Brigham Young Academy & Brigham Young University High School (http://www.byhigh.org/Search/ByName.html, accessed 7 July 2020). Elsie Delia Adams, John Edge Booth, 1847–1920 (Springville, UT: Art City Publishing, 1962), 26–27.
[9] “Sealings of Couples, Living and by Proxy, 1851–1889,” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Endowment House, vol. I, 5 June 1873–2 Sept. 1874, p. 143, line 1794, John Edge Booth and Marie Josephine Harvey, 1 Oct. 1873, microfilm 183399, DGS 5265583 (restricted access), FHL. Elsie Delia Adams, John Edge Booth, 1847–1920 (Springville, UT: Art City Publishing, 1962), 27.
[10] First Presidency Missionary Calls and Recommendations, 1877–1918, CR 1 168, CHL. Elsie Delia Adams, John Edge Booth, 1847–1920 (Springville, UT: Art City Publishing, 1962), 28–29. Andrew Jenson, Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia, vol. 1 (Salt Lake City: Andrew Jenson History, 1901), 494.
[11] John E. Booth, Provo, Utah Territory, to Wilford Woodruff, First Presidency Missionary Calls and Recommendations, 1877–1918, CR 1 168, CHL. “John Edge Booth,” History of the Bench and Bar of Utah (Salt Lake City: Interstate Press Association, 1913), 115.
[12] Elsie Delia Adams, John Edge Booth, 1847–1920 (Springville, UT: Art City Publishing, 1962), 28. “Endowment House, Sealings of Couples, Living and by Proxy, 1851–1889,” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, vol. K, 15 Nov. 1875–25 July 1878, p. 105, line 1346, John Edge Booth and Hannah Billings, 10 Apr. 1876, microfilm 183401, DGS 5270324 (restricted access), FHL.
[13] “John E. Booth,” Territory of Utah Legislative Assembly Rosters, 1851–1894, Utah Division of Archives and Record Service (https://archives.utah.gov/research/guides/legislative-assembly.htm, accessed 6 July 2020). “Our Lawmakers,” Provo Daily Enquirer (Provo, Utah Territory), 10 Jan. 1894, 1. Elsie Delia Adams, John Edge Booth, 1847–1920 (Springville, UT: Art City Publishing, 1962), 30.
[14] “John Edge Booth,” History of the Bench and Bar of Utah (Salt Lake City: Interstate Press Association, 1913), 115. Elsie Delia Adams, John Edge Booth, 1847–1920 (Springville, UT: Art City Publishing, 1962), 34.
[15] “John Edge Booth,” Go Ye into All the World (https://history.churchofjesuschrist.org/missionary/, accessed 7 July 2020). Missionary Department Missionary Registers, 1860–1959, vol. A, 25 Apr. 1860–27 Apr. 1894, pp. 68, 101, CR 301 22, box 1, folder 1, images 77, 110/160, CHL. Wilford Woodruff, Salt Lake City, Utah Territory, to John E. Booth, Provo, Utah Territory, 19 Apr. 1890, MS 7871, CHL. Elsie Delia Adams, John Edge Booth, 1847–1920 (Springville, UT: Art City Publishing, 1962), 34, 36. Andrew Jenson, Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia, vol. 1 (Salt Lake City: Andrew Jenson History, 1901), 494.
[16] “General Directory,” Territorial Enquirer (Provo, Utah Territory), 7 Dec. 1881, [1]. “Provo Paragraphs,” Salt Lake Herald, 5 Jan. 1899, 6. “Local and Other Matters, Resignations and Appointments,” Deseret News (Salt Lake City), 29 Nov. 1876, [1]. Elsie Delia Adams, John Edge Booth, 1847–1920 (Springville, UT: Art City Publishing, 1962), 28, 33. Andrew Jenson, Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia, vol. 1 (Salt Lake City: Andrew Jenson History, 1901), 494.
[17] “John Edge Booth,” Mayors of the City of Provo, Provo City Library at Academy Square (https://www.provolibrary.com/historical-mayors-provo, accessed 7 July 2020).
[18] EBW, Diary, 3 Feb. 1894. “Equal Suffrage,” Sunday Herald (Provo, Utah Territory), 4 Feb. 1894, 8.
[19] EBW, Diary, 1 Mar. 1894.
[20] “John Edge Booth,” History of the Bench and Bar of Utah (Salt Lake City: Interstate Press Association, 1913), 115. “Local News,” Vernal (UT) Express, 18 May 1899, 6. “District Court,” Wasatch Wave (Heber City, UT), 13 Jan. 1913, [5].
[21] “John Edge Booth,” BYH~BYA Alumni & Faculty Directory by Last (Maiden) Name, Brigham Young Academy & Brigham Young University High School (http://www.byhigh.org/Search/ByName.html, accessed 7 July 2020).
[22] “Utah State Archives Indexes,” database and images, Utah State Archives (https://archives.utah.gov, accessed 7 July 2020); Utah Department of Health Office of Vital Records and Statistics Death Certificates, series 81448, file no. 828/300 (1922), John Edge Booth.