Archives West Finding Aid

As the last male descendant of the Hale Family, Edward Girard Hale collected information about his prominent ancestors. As a result, his papers include information about his relatives, but very little about himself. He was born in 1914 to Edward Lincoln Hale and Maybelle Bean Hale. His father died in 1915, and he was raised by his mother and grandmother. He graduated from the University of Southern California in 1938, and practiced as an oral Surgeon in Salt Lake City for 46 years. He had two important grandfathers: Francis Armstrong and Frederick Albert Hale; and a well-known uncle: Girard Van Barkaloo Hale.

Francis Armstrong was born in England in 1839, the son of William and Mary Kirk Armstrong. In 1851 his family emigrated to Canada. Francis left for the United States in 1858. He worked in a sawmill in Missouri until he learned about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In 1861 he moved to Utah, where he worked hauling wood from Millcreek Canyon, then at Brigham Young's flour mill at Parley's Canyon, then at a lumber mill. He purchased the lumber mill after several years, which began his success in business. By 1869 he had a partnership with Latimer, Taylor, Folsom, and Romney. They built stores and homes in Salt Lake City. By 1881 the firm was called Taylor, Romney, Armstrong Co. Armstrong was elected to the Common Council in 1878, then elected Mayor of Salt Lake City in 1886. In 1896 he was elected Commissioner. He played a large role in bringing a more modern lifestyle to Salt Lake City, such as his success in bringing the first electric cars to the city. In 1864, he married to Isabelle Siddoway, with whom he had twelve children. He married Sarah Carruth in 1870, and she had six children. Francis Armstrong died in 1899.

Frederick Albert Hale was born in New York in 1855. He was married to Mary Elizabeth O'Grady in 1882. The Hales had four children: Edyth Mae, Girard Van Barkaloo, Frederick Albert Jr., and Edward Lincoln. (Edward Lincoln died in 1915, when his son, Edward Girard was one year old.) Frederick Hale was educated at Cornell, and began his architecture career in Denver in 1880. In 1890 he moved to Salt Lake City to build the Commercial National Bank. He became a prominent local architect, who designed more than thirty structures. At one time there were more than ten mansions along South Temple that were designed by Frederick Hale. Among the ones still standing are the David Keith mansion, the O. J. Salisbury mansion, and the Nelden house. Included among the buildings he designed are the Alta Club, the Elks Club, the Eagles Club, and the First United Methodist Church. In addition to his reputation as an architect, Hale was also an accomplished golfer and singer. He died in 1934.

Girard Van Barkaloo Hale was born in Denver in 1886. He was married to Camilla Eaton in New York in 1915. In 1918 he was a soldier in France, and received honors. He later became the Consul General to Monaco. He married again, in 1920, to Kathleen Burke McLean. He and his wife became well-known samaritans by their act of "adopting" the French village of Maille in 1946. By this time they were quite wealthy and living on a ranch in California. Girard was known for his portrait paintings, as well as the work he did on the murals in the Utah State Capitol building. He had many other artistic commissions in Utah and California. He died at the age of 72, and his wife followed at the age of 74.