Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Joseph Lafayette Rawlins papers, 1885-1964
Overview of the Collection
- Collector
- Jensen, Alta Rawlins, 1884-1980
- Title
- Joseph Lafayette Rawlins papers
- Dates
- 1885-1964 (inclusive)18851964
- Quantity
- 1 box, (0.5 linear feet)
- Collection Number
- MS 0189
- Summary
- The Joseph Lafayette Rawlins papers (1885-1964) contain materials collected by Rawlins' daughter, Alta R. Jensen, in preparation for her publication of The Unfavored Few: The Autobiography of Joseph L. Rawlins. Joseph L. Rawlins (1850-1926) was dedicated to making Utah a state, and fought to change political situation that were objectionable to people outside the Utah Territory. His efforts were eventually introduced before the House of Representatives in a statehood bill.
- Repository
-
University of Utah Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections, J. Willard Marriott Library
University of Utah
295 South 1500 East
Salt Lake City, UT
84112-0860
Telephone: 8015818863
special@library.utah.edu - Access Restrictions
-
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.
- Languages
- English
Historical NoteReturn to Top
Joseph L. Rawlins (1850-1926) was born on 28 March 1850. His parents, Joseph Sharp and Mary Frost Rawlins, had immigrated to Utah in 1849 and settled at the foot of the Wasatch Mountains near Millcreek. Soon after young Joseph's birth the family moved to the southern end of the Great Salt Lake Valley to a settlement later called Draperville. As a child Rawlins found the small schoolroom at the settlement a relief from the hardships of pioneer life and he excelled in scholastic studies. He attended the University of Deseret (now the University of Utah) from 1869-1871, and the University of Indiana from 1871-1873. Forced to abandon his education, due to lack of money, Rawlins returned to Salt Lake City where he read law in the offices of Williams, Young and Sheeks.
Joseph L. Rawlins' distinguished law career began in 1875 when he was admitted to the Utah State Bar. He formed a partnership with Benjamin Sheeks. Rawlins served as Salt Lake City Attorney from 1875-1877. He was also involved in many notable court cases including the trial of George Reynolds and George Q. Cannon. In addition to law, Rawlins took an active interest in politics. While at the University of Indiana he attended the 1872 Democratic National Convention in Baltimore. Ten years later he helped to organize the first Democratic Party in Utah. In 1893 he became the territorial delegate to the United States House of Representatives. From 1897-1903 Rawlins served in the United States Senate.
On 16 July 1894, President Grover Cleveland signed the bill which made Utah a state. The pen with which Cleveland signed the document was delivered to Joseph L. Rawlins, Utah's territorial delegate to the House of Representatives. The gift acknowledged Rawlins' long, dedicated efforts to make Utah a state. In Washington, D. C. Rawlins argued eloquently for Utah's admission. In Utah he fought to change the political situation which many persons outside the Territory found objectionable. His efforts culminated in December 1893 when he introduced before the House of Representatives the statehood bill.
Rawlins died in 1926, leaving his wife Julia, whom he had married in 1876, and their children Leda, Althol, and Alta.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The Joseph Lafayette Rawlins papers (1885-1964) contain materials collected by Rawlins' daughter, Alta R. Jensen, in preparation for her 1956 publication of The Unfavored Few: The Autobiography of Joseph L. Rawlins. Included in the collection is a portion of Rawlins' original autobiography, covering his life from 1850-1885. The collection also contains several printed copies of speeches given by Rawlins, dating from 1885-1902, as well as one of Rawlins' handwritten essays, and newspaper clippings concerning Utah's fiftieth statehood celebration. There are also three folders containing Alta Jensen's research note, and a correspondence concerning Jensen's book.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on 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.
Preferred Citation
Collection Name, Collection Number, Box Number, Folder Number. Special Collections, J. Willard Marriott Library, The University of Utah.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
General MaterialsReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 1 | 1 | Reminiscences of Joseph L. Rawlins
This folder contains a 115 page typed autobiography by Joseph L. Rawlins. It covers his life from his birth in 1850 to 1885. It contains descriptions of the legal and political controversies which preceded Utah's admission to statehood.
|
1912 |
| 1 | 2 | Biographical Sketches
This folder contains two biographical sketches of Joseph L. Rawlins from the National Encyclopedia of American Biography.
|
1894 |
| 1 | 3 | Speeches
This folder contains five speeches, on given before the Utah Democratic Club on the need for separation of church and state, one given before the United States House of Representatives in behalf of the Utah Statehood bill, one given before the United States Senate concerning the Spanish-Cuba question, another given before the United States Senate concerning the independence of Cuba, and the last given before the United States Senate on the American involvement in the Phillipines.
|
1885-1899 |
| 1 | 4 | Speeches
This folder contains a speech given on the bill to fix the standard of value of all forms of money issued by the United States, speeches given on the governing of the Philippines, and a speech given on the independence of the Philippines.
|
1900-1902 |
| 1 | 5 | "The Peril of Education" Speech |
|
| 1 | 6-8 | Alta R. Jensen Notes
Some of these notes are direct dictation from Joseph L. Rawlins.
|
|
| 1 | 9 | "Senator Rawlins' Great Three Day Speech," Deseret Evening News
This folder contains a complete copy of Rawlins' speech to the United States Senate on the government of the Philippine Islands.
|
1902 |
| 1 | 10 |
Salt Lake Tribune Newspaper Clippings
This folder contains several newspaper clippings concerning Utah's fiftieth year statehood celebration.
|
1946 |
| 1 | 11 | Alta R. Jensen Correspondence
This folder contains correspondence concerning Jensen's book, The Unfavored Few. Also included are her application for copyright, rejection notices from Reader's Digest and Brant and Brant, and thank you notes from those to whom Jensen sent complimentary copies of her book.
|
1956-1964 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Polygamy
Personal Names
- Rawlins, Joseph Lafayette, 1850-1926 (contributor)
Corporate Names
- Democratic Party (Utah)
Geographical Names
- Utah--History
Finding aid prepared by Della L. Dye
1979 (last modified: 2019)
