John Christopher Cutler was born on February 5, 1946, in Sheffield, England, to Elizabeth Robinson and John Cutler. His family converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints; they emigrated to Utah Territory in 1864. In 1871, Cutler married Sarah Elizabeth Taylor; together, they had seven children.
Cutler began working in business at the age of twelve. After immigration, he worked as an agent for the Provo Woolen Mills, became president of his family’s dry goods company, and sat on the boards of multiple companies, including serving as president of the Deseret National Bank beginning in 1911.
Cutler entered politics in 1884, when he served as Salt Lake County Clerk. Around 1900, he became affiliated with the “Federal Bunch,” a group of Utah Republicans who opposed the incumbent Governor Heber M. Wells and planned to run a successor. After Wells could not gain the necessary support for a planned run for the United States Senate, the Federal Bunch nominated Cutler as the Republican gubernatorial candidate. In November 1904, Cutler defeated James H. Moyle, the Democratic candidate, and William M. Ferry, the American party candidate, to become the second governor of Utah, a position that he held from 1905 to 1909. During his governorship, Cutler signed bills establishing juvenile courts in major cities; requiring the Board of Health to collect birth and death certificates; bringing antiquities under state control; and providing retirement for teachers. Among Cutler’s failed initiatives were a recommendation to merge the University of Utah and the Utah State Agricultural College; a proposal for a state capitol building; and efforts to build an institution for disabled Utahns. The Federal Bunch withdrew support of him for reelection, and Cutler withdrew his reelection bid before the Republican convention, where the nomination was given instead to William Spry.
At age 82 and experiencing poor health, John C. Cutler died by apparent suicide on July 30, 1928 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
The John C. Cutler Family photograph collection consists of 2 boxes containing 187 photographs. Box 1 contains 2 photograph albums and loose photographs pertaining to Governor John C. Cutler, circa 1907-1926. The brown photograph album has images taken of the Cutler family in Salt Lake City, including their home, Richards Street, Hotel Utah, ZCMI; photographs of 1917 Harold G. Cutler in 145 Artillery going to Fort Kearney to drill for World War I in 1917; Eagle Man Co. and O. P. Skaggs on State Street in 1926. The black photograph album contains images of John C. Cutler, Joseph Fielding Smith, D. S. Spencer, Sarah Bernhardt, family, friends in Salt Lake City, Pioneer Day Parade. It also includes snapshots of Cutler family vacations to various locations including: trips to Yellowstone, Long Beach, Hollywood, Coronado, Shoshone Falls in Idaho (1910), hot air balloons, a dirigible balloon. Box 2 is oversized and contains a large-format portrait of the Cutler family. The collection dates from approximately 1907 to 1926.
Arranged by subject
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Permission to publish material from the John C. Cutler Family photograph collection must be obtained from the Special Collections Manuscript Curator.
Purchased from The Fox Group in 2018.
Processed by Special Collections staff.