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James D. Wardle papers, 1812-2001

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Wardle, James D.
Title
James D. Wardle papers
Dates
1812-2001 (inclusive)
Quantity
36 linear feet
Collection Number
MS 0578
Summary
The James D. Wardle papers (1812-2001) contain correspondence, essays, notes, and topical compilations relating to the religious interests of James D. Wardle (1915-1997). James D. Wardle followed his father in the barber business and was a champion skater. His family had a long history with the LDS and RLDS church, and Wardle held many positions in the RLDS Church (now the Community of Christ). In 1970 he became disaffected from the mainstream RLDS Church, and from that time until his death he participated in local expression of RLDS fundamentalism or restorationism. The 1970s were an exciting time for Mormon history researchers and Wardle's barber shop was a center for the circulation of ideas and texts.
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
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Historical Note

James Durward Wardle was born on 1 November 1915 in Magna, Utah, to Allan Clyde Wardle and Gretchen Mayberry Wardle. He passed away on 1 November 1997. As a young man Wardle served in the army for a few years. While there he lost all interest in traveling, having been shipped from pillar to post across the country. This sedentary outlook related to his chosen profession: at age 21 he followed his father in the barbershop business when he founded the Wardle Barbershop in downtown Salt Lake City. He operated for sixty-two years. Wardle was also a skater and achieved Utah State championship for three years in dance and figure skating. He married at age 36 and gave up skating. Wardle's grandparents converted to the LDS Church in Europe and migrated with the pioneer companies in the late 19th century. While in Utah they changed affiliation to the RLDS Church. Wardle's parents were strong local members and raised him in the faith. Wardle was an active participant from his youth in the RLDS Church in Utah. From a young age he formed friendships with local church luminaries such as J. W. A. Bailey and with more distant ones like J. T. Curtis. He was an elder in the RLDS Church and served in various positions, including branch president. An intense interest in religion led him into what he termed his avocation, collecting information on the Restoration (Mormon) churches. In 1938 he began issuing a single-sheet periodical called "Sketches" (the name was later changed to "Thoughts" (For Today)). It carried brief articles treating doctrinal and historical issues which often challenged the avowed views of the LDS Church. In the 1960s he wrote a series of articles called "Beliefs of Our Neighbors" for the Priesthood and Leaders' Journal, an organ of the RLDS Church, in which he outlined the basic belief structures of a number of American Christian faiths. By 1975 he described himself as "a member of the RLDS Church, an Elder and one time the Pastor of the Church here in Salt Lake City...More than all that, I am the local Heretic." He became disaffected from the mainstream RLDS Church in the 1970s and from that time until his death he participated in the local expression of RLDS fundamentalism or restorationism. The 1970s were an exciting time for Mormon history researchers and Wardle's shop was a center for the circulation of ideas and texts. At this time various historians' methodologies were being applied for the first time to Mormon historical and scriptural texts, often urging doubt on orthodox interpretations of the Mormon past. Furthermore, at this time many new historical documents were being discovered and released to the public. The barbershop was a gathering place common to a few networks of historians, writers, researchers, and others interested in Mormon history; by agency of Wardle, many documents saw public light. Wardle is remembered by many for his oddball behavior, his knowledge of things Mormon, and his enormous, open, and always growing collection of Mormon and religion-related books and manuscripts.

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Content Description

The James D. Wardle Papers (1812-2001) contain correspondence, essays, notes, and topical compilations relating to the religious interests of James D. Wardle (1915-1997), a Salt Lake barber. There are personal and skating materials, dating from 1917 to 1994. Gathered in boxes 1-3 are photographs of Wardle's family and ancestors, letters and cards of a personal nature, photographs of himself and fellow skaters in action, local skating newsletters, articles on skating, and his own skating newsletter called "Sketches. There is also a focus on Wardle's religious heritage, the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (now called the Community of Christ), as well as schismatics who derive from it. This material dates from 1844 to 1996. The RLDS Church has historically claimed to be the true modern representative of Joseph Smith's church. This claim derives partly from belief in the necessity that the church president should be a direct descendant from the founder. It was officially organized in 1860 with the cooperation and leadership of Joseph Smith III. Until recently, each church president has been a direct descendant of Joseph Smith Jr. Wardle established correspondence with local RLDS Church luminaries such as J. W. A. Bailey and A. M. Chase. Much of their writing and letters concern religious teaching of the RLDS Church. Wardle held many positions in the local RLDS Church's branch, and was branch president during the 1950s. He kept the outline notes from his sermons; they are housed in boxes 4-5. These boxes, as well as microfilm reels 1-2, contain important and unique information regarding the state of the RLDS district in Utah during the past century. Boxes 6-10 contain general, official RLDS publications, such as tracts and training modules. Since W. Wallace Smith's tenure as church president, a number of adaptations and alterations in belief and practice have occurred, bringing about the disgruntlement of many church members. Wardle was an active observer as well as grass-roots supporter and participant in local "restorationist" or fundamentalist protests against the changes. He corresponded with such noted RLDS activists as Richard Price. This and related correspondence, as well as RLDS "restorationist" publications, are found in boxes 11-15. Other materials relate to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) and its schismatics and fundamentalists; these materials date from 1853 to 1992. Like the RLDS church, the LDS church claims to be the sole true continuation of Joseph Smith's church, basing their claim on the continuation of the quorum of 12 apostles from Smith's day. James D. Wardle collected a few tracts published by the LDS Church and newspaper clippings relating thereto, found in box 16. In 1890 the LDS Church officially banned polygamy, and his since given up many other aspects of 19th century Utah Mormon belief and practice. Since that time a number of dissidents, believing either that the Church went wrong, or that it had secretly arranged to retain polygamy, have formed numerous and variegated groups, often referred to as "Mormon Fundamentalists. As he kept his religious books in his shop and made a habit of holding provocative religious conversations with his patrons, Wardle found opportunity to meet the members of small local religious organizations. He contracted friendships with leaders and adherents of these groups, and was thus able to amass a collection of correspondence, manuscripts, and publications. This portion divides into two sections: Boxes 17-21 relate to these "fundamentalist" groups. There are materials on various Latter Day Saint Churches, and they date from 1929 to 1997. After Joseph Smith's death in 1844 many aspirants sought to replace him as Church President. Brigham Young led the largest portion of Smith's church west to Utah, positing his claim to leadership on the primacy of the quorum of 12 apostles. The RLDS church, consolidated some years later, claimed church leadership on basis of lineal descent from the founder. There yet remained many members and congregations outside these two groups who would seek leadership elsewhere. Since Joseph Smith's death and well into the present day a number of sects have and do claim, in various ways, to be the sole, true succession from Joseph Smith Jr. Such groups are represented in boxes 22-31, and include the Cutlerites, the Church of Christ (Temple Lot), the Church of Christ (Hancock), the Church of Christ with the Elijah Message, The Restored Church of Jesus Christ, the Church of Christ (Zahnd), The Christian Zion Incorporated, the Church of Christ Independent-Informal, the "Bickertonites," and Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite). There are also materials showing Wardle's devotion to collecting topical information relating to items like the Book of Mormon, polygamy, proper succession from Joseph Smith Jr., and many others. These materials date from 1812 to 1997. His compilations are found in boxes 32-55. There are also tracts, newsletters and articles published by and about various Christian, World Religions, New Age groups, UFO groups, and other things, dating from 1776 to 2001. Organizations represented in boxes 56-64 include the Baptists, British Israelists, Buddhists, Caodaists, Elizabeth Clare Prophet, Jehovah's Witnesses, Lutherans, the Marcap Council, Sabbatarians, the Sons of Jared, Sprititualists, Swedenborgians, and the Unitarians, as well as topics like Biorhythm and Numerology. The last boxes of the final section contain miscellaneous items not directly related to religion. A scrapbook follows, in box 65. It contains an assortment of newspaper clippings relating to Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon, the local RLDS Church, and general interest items.

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Use of the Collection

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.

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Administrative Information

Acquisition Information

Gift of Ralph Bailey in 2000-2001.

Processing Note

Processed by Kate Kimball in 2001.

Addendum processed by Jennifer Sessions in 2006.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

Finding aid prepared by Kirk Watson.
2004 (last modified: 2019)

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