Born 18 Jan. 1858 in Salt Lake City.[1] Son of Hiram Bradley Clawson and Alice Young.[2] Studied at the University of Deseret under George M. Ottinger.[3] Married Mary Alice Clark, 10 June 1880, in Salt Lake City.[4] Studied art at the National Academy of Design, 1880–1883, in New York City.[5] Established an art studio in Salt Lake City, 1883–1891.[6] Commissioned by EBW to paint a picture of her daughter Louisa (Louie) Martha Wells, 15 Aug. 1888.[7] Painted portraits of notable church leaders.[8] Studied art in Paris, Venice, and England, 1891–1893.[9] Visited EBW, 20 Apr. 1894.[10] Left Utah for San Francisco, 1898.[11] Worked in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York City painting portraits, 1898–1933.[12] Returned to Utah to paint landscapes, 1933.[13] Died 6 Apr. 1936 in Salt Lake City.[14]
[1] Record of Members Collection, 1836–1970, East Twelfth Ward, Part 1, p. 26, line [17], Jno. W. Clawson, images 71–72/400, CR 375 8, box 1807, folder 1 (limited access), CHL. “Endowments of the Living, 1851–1884,” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Endowment House, vol. I, 10 Oct. 1878–27 Mar. 1884, p. 122, line 2835, John Willard Clawson, 10 June 1880, microfilm 183408, DGS 5270331 (restricted access), FHL. “Family Tree,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org, accessed 9 July 2020), John Willard Clawson (KWVR-36Z).
[2] Record of Members Collection, 1836–1970, East Twelfth Ward, Part 1, p. 26, line [17], Jno. W. Clawson, images 71–72/400, CR 375 8, box 1807, folder 1 (limited access), CHL. 1860 U.S. Census, Great Salt Lake City, Great Salt Lake Co., Utah Territory, p. 215, Jno Willard Clawson. Record of Members Collection, 1836–1970, East Twelfth Ward, Part 1, p. 26, line [17], Jno. W. Clawson, images 71–72/400, CR 375 8, box 1807, folder 1 (limited access), CHL. “Endowments of the Living, 1851–1884,” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Endowment House, vol. I, 10 Oct. 1878–27 Mar. 1884, p. 122, line 2835, John Willard Clawson, 10 June 1880, microfilm 183408, DGS 5270331 (restricted access), FHL.
[3] “Clawson, John Willard (1858–1936),” Springville Museum of Art (https://web.archive.org, accessed 10 July 2020).
[4] “Sealings of Couples, Living and by Proxy, 1851–1889,” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Endowment House, vol. L, 14 May 1878–8 Nov. 1883, p. 169, line [4], John Willard Clawson and Mary Alice Clark, 10 June 1880, microfilm 183402, DGS 5270325 (restricted access), FHL. “Married,” Salt Lake Daily Herald, 12 June 1880, [3].
[5] “A Rising Artist,” Salt Lake Daily Tribune, 30 Nov. 1884, [4]. “Clawson, John Willard (1858–1936),” Springville Museum of Art (https://web.archive.org, accessed 10 July 2020).
[6] “John Willard Clawson (1858–1936),” askART (https://www.askart.com, accessed 10 July 2020). “John Willard Clawson,” Moffett Fine Art (https://www.moffettfinearts.com/john-willard-clawson/, accessed 10 July 2020).
[7] EBW, Diary, 16 Aug. 1888.
[8] John Willard Clawson, Eliza R Snow, LDS 86-398-2 (restricted access), CHL. John Willard Clawson, Zina Young, LDS 86-398-4 (restricted access), CHL. John Willard Clawson, Heber J. Grant, LDS 87-146-2 (restricted access), CHL.
[9] “Art and Artists,” Salt Lake Herald, 16 Dec. 1894, 16. “Personal Items,” Salt Lake Herald, 30 May 1893, 6. U.S., Immigration and Naturalization Service, U.S. Passport Applications, John Willard Clawson, roll 350, vol. 695, 17–23 May 1895, microfilm 1463486, DGS 7547205, image 481/783, FHL. “Clawson, John Willard (1858–1936),” Springville Museum of Art (https://web.archive.org, accessed 10 July 2020).
[10] EBW, Diary, 20 Apr. 1894.
[11] Salt Lake City Directory, 1898 (Salt Lake City: R. L. Polk, 1898), 197.
[12] 1900 U.S. Census, San Francisco, San Francisco Co., CA, ED 252, p. 5A, John W. Clawson. 1920 U.S. Census, San Francisco, San Francisco Co., CA, ED 396, p. 1B, John H. Clawson. 1930 U.S. Census, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Co., CA, ED 19-176, p. 10A, John Clawson. “Clawson, John Willard (1858–1936),” Springville Museum of Art (https://web.archive.org, accessed 10 July 2020).
[13] “Clawson, John Willard (1858–1936),” Springville Museum of Art (https://web.archive.org, accessed 10 July 2020).
[14] “Utah State Archives Indexes,” database and images, Utah State Archives (https://archives.utah.gov, accessed 10 July 2020); Utah Department of Health Office of Vital Records and Statistics Death Certificates, series 81448, file no. 599/425 (1936), John Willard Clawson. “Death Takes Utah Artist,” Salt Lake Telegram, 7 Apr. 1936, [24].