The Church Historian's PressThe Church Historian's Press

John William Hess

J. W. Hess

24 August 1824—16 December 1903

George F. Richards

John William Hess was born in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, on 24 August 1824 to Jacob Hess and Elizabeth Foutz. He married Emeline Bigler in 1845 and was a member of the Mormon Battalion. He also participated in plural marriage. Hess became the second bishop of the Farmington, Utah Territory, ward in 1855 and served in that capacity until 1882. In 1882, he became first counselor in the Davis Stake presidency and served as stake president from 1894 to 1903. Hess died on 16 December 1903.1

The First Fifty Years of Relief Society

2 Born at Waynesboro, Franklin County, Pennsylvania; son of Elizabeth Foutz and Jacob Hess. 3 Baptized, 1834. 4 Married Emeline Bigler, 1845; participated in plural marriage. 5 Traveled with the Mormon Battalion, 1847; arrived in the Salt Lake Valley, 1849. 6 Settled at Farmington, Davis County, Utah Territory. Served as bishop of the Farmington Ward, 1855–1882; as counselor in the Davis Stake presidency, 1882–1894; and as president of the Davis Stake, 1894–1903. 7 Died at Farmington. 8 (See Document 3.30)

Footnotes

  1. 1 “John William Hess,” The First Fifty Years of Relief Society website, accessed 11 July 2019, https://www.churchhistorianspress.org/the-first-fifty-years-of-relief-society/people/john-william-hess?letter=H; Horace J. Knowlton and Ford Clark, “History of Farmington,” typescript, 27 July 1921, 5, CHL; Farmington Ward Manuscript History, 17 June 1877, 11 June 1882, CHL.

  2. 2 “Utah Cemeteries and Burials,” database, Utah Division of State History (https://history.utah.gov/cemeteries, accessed Apr. 2014), John W. Hess.

  3. 3 “Death of John W. Hess,” Improvement Era 7, no. 4 (Feb. 1904): 313. “John W. Hess, 1824–1903,” Individual Record, Family Tree database (Ancestor ID: KW8M-FLT), FamilySearch, accessed 17 Nov. 2023, familysearch.org.

  4. 4 “Family Tree,” database, John W. Hess.

  5. 5 Ibid.

  6. 6 “Death of John W. Hess,” 313. “John Wells Hess,” Church History Biographical Database (history.churchofjesuschrist.org/chd/landing, accessed Nov. 2023).

  7. 7 “Death of John W. Hess,” 313.

  8. 8 “Death of John W. Hess,”313. Find a Grave, database and images (http://findagrave.com, accessed Apr. 2014), memorial no. 137275, John W. Hess; Farmington City Cemetery, Farmington, UT.