Joseph Jeppe Larsen Papers, 1888-1975

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Larsen, Joseph Jeppe, 1873-1967
Title
Joseph Jeppe Larsen Papers
Dates
1888-1975 (inclusive)
Quantity
1 box, (.5 linear foot)
Collection Number
UUS_COLL MSS 312
Summary
Larsen's papers consist of correspondence (1910-1947), meeting minutes of the Newton Irrigation Company (1907-1945) and the West Cache Grain Growers Association (1935-1945), various papers concerning the Newton Project (a 1941 reclamation project to overhaul the Newton Reservoir and construct irrigation canals), and other papers.
Repository
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections and Archives Division
Special Collections & Archives
Merrill-Cazier Library
Utah State University
Logan, UT
84322-3000
Telephone: 4357978248
Fax: 4357972880
scweb@usu.edu
Access Restrictions

No restrictions on use, except: not available through interlibrary loan.

Languages
English

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Joseph Jeppe Larsen was born September 27, 1873 in Newton, Utah the son of Christian Hansen and Marianne Larsen. In 1874 the Larsen family moved to Saint George, Utah in response to a call from leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Once the family arrived they resided in Saint George for five weeks until Larsen's father found work tending the church cattle herd and the family subsequently moved outside of town to Moccasin Springs. In 1876 the family moved to Kanab, Utah where they remained until their return to Newton in 1884.

From 1884 to 1895 Larsen worked on the family farm and obtained his basic education. In 1895 Larsen enrolled at the Agricultural College of Utah (now Utah State University) to study dairy husbandry and graduated with a degree in 1897.

During the 1898 to 1903 period Larsen was employed as a teacher at a number of schools in Utah, including at Point (1898-1900), Stone (1900-1901), Perry (1901-1903), and as principle at Mantua (1903). During this time Larsen married Lettie Christensen on October 18, 1900 in the LDS Logan Temple and they later had four children that survived to adulthood; Vernon (1901), Osborne (1903), Grant (1906), and Annie (1912).

In 1903 Larsen returned to Newton where he worked winters as a school teacher and summers as a farmer. In 1907 Larsen quit teaching and pursued farming as a fulltime career. Over the course of the next fifty years Larsen acquired one of the largest farms in Newton and was highly involved in local agriculture and irrigation. During this period he served as president of the Newton Town Board, held various positions with the Newton Irrigation Company, was involved in the Newton Grain Growers Association, served as directory of the Farmers Grain Cooperative, and was involved with repair work done on Newton Dam during 1937 and 1945. Larsen continued farming in Newton until his death on April 2, 1967.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

This one-box collection contains the papers of Joseph Jeppe Larsen and spans the period of 1888 to 1975. Larsen's papers consist of correspondence (1910-1947), meeting minutes of the Newton Irrigation Company (1907-1945) and the West Cache Grain Growers Association (1935-1945), various papers concerning the Newton Project, and other papers. The bulk of this collection revolves around Larsen's agricultural endeavors in Newton and interactions with the Newton Irrigation Company. The majority of Larsen's correspondence consists of outgoing letters contained in three carbon-copy ledgers which contain approximately 300 hundred letters written during the 1907-1922 period. These letters primarily concerns his work with the Newton Irrigation Company. This correspondence, the meeting minutes of the Newton Irrigation Company, and other papers contained in this collection document Newton's agricultural economy prior to and during the Agricultural Depression of the 1920s, during the Great Depression of the 1930s, and into the post-World War II era with a high level of detail. Larsen's papers also contain numerous sources of information about the Newton Project, a 1941 reclamation project aimed to overhaul the Newton Reservoir and construct irrigation canals in the Newton area.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances.

Permission to publish material from the Joseph Jeppe Larsen Papers must be obtained from the Special Collections Manuscript Curator and/or the Special Collections Department Head.

Preferred Citation

Initial Citation: Joseph Jeppe Larsen Papers USU_COLL MSS 312>, Box [ ]. Special Collections and Archives. Utah State University Merrill-Cazier Library. Logan, Utah.

Following Citations:USU_COLL MSS 312, USUSCA.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

Arranged in chronological order.

Processing Note

Processed in June of 2006

Acquisition Information

The materials in this collection were donated to USU Special Collections in 2005 by Ruby Larsen Woodward, the granddaughter of Joseph J. Larsen.

Related Materials

Researchers interested in materials concerning Newton should seeColl Mss 306 : The Newton Historical Documents Collection

Separated Materials

Photographs which were donated with this collection have been separated and transferred to USU Special Collections’ Photograph Division. Those interested in viewing these photos should inquire with the Photograph Curator.

Bibliography

Sources:
Complied by Vernon J. Larsen, Making a Home in Zion: The Autobiography of the Early Years of Joseph J. Larsen (USU Special Collections call # 920 L329-La) Reed and Annie Larsen Bartlett, Lettie Christensen & Joseph Larsen History , Kerns Utah, 1998. (Special Collections call # 920 L332-B) Obituary; The Herald Journal , April 3, 1967.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
1 1 Outgoing correspondence
(ledger)
1910-1912
1 2 Outgoing correspondence
(ledger)
1912-1913
1 3 Outgoing correspondence
(ledger)
1918-1922
1 4 Outgoing correspondence 1937-1947
1 5 Incoming correspondence, A-Z 1937-1945
1 6 Correspondence concerning the Newton Project forwarded to Larsen, A-Z 1937-1942
1 7 Newton Irrigation Company, meeting minutes 1907-1911
1 8 Newton Irrigation Company, meeting minutes
(ledger)
1913-1923
1 9 Newton Irrigation Company, meeting minutes
(ledger)
1924-1937
1 10 Newton Irrigation Company & Water User's Association, meeting minutes
(ledger)
1939-1945
1 11 West Cache Grain Growers Association, meeting minutes
(ledger)
1935-1942
1 12 "The Handy Farm Account Book," record of labor, crops sold, account balance, and work in progress 1963-1973
1 13 Papers concerning the Newton Project, drawings, contracts, legal papers, and other 1930-1949
1 14 Program for Water Supply and Utilization, US Government Publications
(pages 51-55 discuss the Newton Project)
1941
1 15 Newspapers clippings concerning the Newton Project 1930-1949
1 16 Grant Larsen papers concerning the Newton Project's aftermath 1963-1976
1 17 Handwritten copy of "History of the Newton Reservoir," by Larsen 1940
1 18 Newton Water User's Association proxy stockholders’ forms 1941
1 19 Personal financial and legal papers 1888-1939
1 20 Papers concerning Larsen's teaching career 1899-1907
1 21 Poetry and writings by Larsen undated

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Depressions 1929

Personal Names

  • Larsen, Joseph Jeppe, 1873-1967

Corporate Names

  • Newton Grain Growers Association (Utah)
  • Farmers Grain Cooperative (Newton, Utah)
  • Newton Irrigation Company (Utah)

Geographical Names

  • Newton (Utah)--History--Sources.
  • Newton Dam (Utah)