Joseph John Daynes Sr.

2 April 1851–15 January 1920

Born 2 Apr. 1851 in Norwich, Norfolk, England.[1] Son of John Frederick Nicholas Daynes and Elizabeth Miller.[2] Presented before Queen Victoria in an organ recital at age six, 1857.[3] Immigrated to the U.S. aboard the John J. Boyd, arriving 1 June 1862; migrated to the Salt Lake Valley with the Homer Duncan pioneer company, arriving 21 Sept. 1862.[4] Baptized as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Nathan Davis, 6 Aug. 1863.[5] Served as the first organist of the Tabernacle Choir, 1867–1900.[6] Married Mary Jane Sharp, 18 Nov. 1872.[7] Had various meetings with EBW, 1875–1878.[8] Authored “The Glorious Standard of the West,” published by EBW in the Woman’s Exponent, 1879.[9] Served a mission to New York to study music, 1879–1880.[10] Founded Daynes Music Company, 1880.[11] Performed at the funeral of EBW’s daughter Louisa, 1887.[12] Appointed as the organist of Zion’s Choral Union, 1888.[13] Attended a Utah Women’s Suffrage Association meeting with EBW, 1889.[14] Performed at the Relief Society jubilee meeting attended by EBW, 1892.[15] Composed an anthem for the Salt Lake Temple dedication, 1893.[16] Composed hymns featured in Latter-day Saints’ Psalmody, 1896.[17] Introduced by EBW to prominent author and speaker Mabelle Biggart, 1900.[18] Joined EBW in speaking at a Daughters of Utah Pioneers meeting, 1917.[19] Died 15 Jan. 1920 in Salt Lake City.[20]

 

[1] Record of Members Collection, 1836–1970, Salt Lake City Seventeenth Ward, Part 1, Record of Baptisms, 1856–1872, p. 20, line 738, Joseph John Daynes, CR 375 8, box 6378, folder 1, image 102/558 (restricted access), CHL. “Sealings of Couples, Living and by Proxy, 1851–1889,” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Endowment House, vol. F, 16 June 1866–25 Oct. 1868, p. 341, line 4384, Joseph John Daynes, 7 July 1868, microfilm 183405, DGS 5270328 (restricted access), FHL. “Family Tree,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org, accessed 23 Mar. 2021), Joseph John Daynes (KWNT-B6C).

[2] Record of Members Collection, 1836–1970, Salt Lake City Seventeenth Ward, Part 1, Record of Baptisms, 1856–1872, p. 20, line 738, Joseph John Daynes, CR 375 8, box 6378, folder 1, image 102/558 (restricted access), CHL. “Sealings of Couples, Living and by Proxy, 1851–1889,” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Endowment House, vol. F, 16 June 1866–25 Oct. 1868, p. 341, line 4384, Joseph John Daynes, 7 July 1868, microfilm 183405, DGS 5270328 (restricted access), FHL.

[3] Preston Nibley, “Joseph J. Daynes—The First Mormon Tabernacle Organist,” Daynes Music Company (https://www.daynesmusic.com/about/first-mormon-tabernacle-organist, accessed 2 Jan. 2021).

[4] “John Daynes,” Saints by Sea (https://saintsbysea.lib.byu.edu/, accessed 18 Mar. 2021). “Joseph John Daynes,” Pioneer Database (https://history.churchofjesuschrist.org/overlandtravel/, accessed 18 Mar. 2021). “Report of the Immigration,” Deseret News (Salt Lake City), 17 Sept. 1862, 93.

[5] Record of Members Collection, 1836–1970, Salt Lake City Seventeenth Ward, Part 1, Record of Baptisms, 1856–1872, p. 20, line 738, Joseph John Daynes, CR 375 8, box 6378, folder 1, image 102/558 (restricted access), CHL.  “Sealings of Couples, Living and by Proxy, 1851–1889,” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Endowment House, vol. F, 16 June 1866–25 Oct. 1868, p. 341, line 4384, Joseph John Daynes, 7 July 1868, microfilm 183405, DGS 5270328 (restricted access), FHL.

[6] “Joseph Daynes: The First Organist of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir,” The Tabernacle Choir Blog (https://www.thetabernaclechoir.org/articles/joseph-daynes.html, accessed 5 Jan. 2021).

[7] “Sealings of Couples, Living and by Proxy, 1851–1889,” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Endowment House, vol. H, 30 Oct. 1871–5 June 1873, p. 336, line 4286, Joseph John Daynes and Mary Jane Sharp, 18 Nov. 1872, microfilm 183398, DGS 5270322 (restricted access), FHL. “Daynes-Sharp,” Deseret News (Salt Lake City), 27 Nov. 1872, 6.

[8] EBW, Diary, 18 Aug. 1875 and 12 Jan. 1878. “Home Affairs,” Woman’s Exponent, 15 Nov. 1877, 92.

[9] “The Glorious Standard of the West,” Woman’s Exponent, 1 Aug. 1879, 35.

[10] Missionary Department, Missionary Registers, 1860–1959, p. 48, CR 301 22, box 1, folder 1, image 57/160, CHL. “To New York,” Deseret News (Salt Lake City), 5 Nov. 1879, 633. “Returned,” Salt Lake Daily Herald, 30 Mar. 1880, 3.

[11] “Veteran Utah Musician Dies,” Salt Lake Herald, 16 Jan. 1920, 11.

[12] EBW, Diary, 22 May 1887. “In Memoriam,” Woman’s Exponent, 1 June 1887, 4.

[13] “Zion’s Choral Union,” Deseret News (Salt Lake City), 16 May 1888, 281.

[14] “U.W.S.A.,” Woman’s Exponent, 1 Nov. 1889, 85.

[15] “The Relief Society,” Woman’s Exponent, 15 Mar. 1892, 132.

[16] “Today’s Crowning Event,” Salt Lake Herald, 6 Apr. 1893, 5.

[17] G. Careless, E. Beesley, J. J. Daynes, E. Stephens, and T. C. Griggs, comps., Latter-day Saints’ Psalmody: A Collection of Original Tunes . . . (Salt Lake City: Deseret News, 1896). “Veteran Utah Musician Dies,” Salt Lake Herald, 16 Jan. 1920, 11.

[18] EBW, Diary, 21 Jan. 1900.

[19] “Daughters of Utah Pioneers,” Salt Lake Herald-Republican, 30 Dec. 1917, 19. 

[20] “Utah State Archives Indexes,” database and images, Utah State Archives (https://archives.utah.gov, accessed 2 Jan. 2021); Utah Department of Health Office of Vital Records and Statistics Death Certificates, series 81448, file no. 106/520 (1920), Joseph John Daynes. “Veteran Utah Musician Dies,” Salt Lake Herald, 16 Jan. 1920, 11.