John L. Traughber (1854-1908) was born 23 November 1854 in Carroll County, Missouri, to John Logan Traughber Sr. and Ellen Keziah Ross. Traughber was a school teacher and farmer. He was self-educated and an avid reader. He is most well-known for having received some William E. McLellin papers from McLellin's widow in 1884. After obtaining the McLellin collection, Traughber began writing a book about the LDS Church and doctrine. Traughber married Mattie Elmira Felkins on the 1st of January 1888 in Taney County, Missouri. They had nine children: Earl Augustine, Lucilla Ellen, Albert Ross, Louis Edgar, Charles Orville, Beulah Elenor, Grace Eulah, John Ernest, and Harmon Otis. In 1901, Traughber became ill and offered to sell the William E. McLellin Collection to a Salt Lake City minister, Theodore Schroeder. Schroeder declined the offer. Then in 1908 Traughber sold McLellin's missionary diaries from 1831 to 1836, as well as four notebooks and a copy of the 1833 Book of Commandments for fifty dollars to the LDS Church. Traughber's illness progressed and on the 8th of December 1908 he passed away in Doucette, Tyler County, Texas. When Traughber passed away he left his children and widow penniless. However, Traughber had left his family with his research on the LDS Church and the William E. McLellin Collection. Traughber never completed his book. He had spent over twenty years researching the LDS Church religion, and had a manuscript over three hundred pages. Traughber's widow did not want her late husband's work to go to waste. She tried to have his work published in the Salt Lake Tribune in 1910, but was unsuccessful. After her death in 1954, the William E. McLellin Collection and Traughber's own documents fell into the possession of Traughber's youngest son, Otis. H. Otis Traughber sold the collection to the University of Utah in 1995.
The John L. Traughber papers (1854-1910) contain letters, notebooks, memos, journals, notes, and news clippings concerning the LDS Church, its history, and its members. Traughber (1854-1908) was a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (now the Community of Christ) who researched the history and other aspects of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The first box in the collection contains three notebooks written by William E. McLellin, one of the first twelve apostles of the LDS Church. Much of the information contained in this box provides reminiscent details about the LDS Church in its infancy, including insight into the origins of the priesthood. The original McLellin notebooks were placed in the Manuscripts Division Safe. Notes and essays written by John L. Traughber on LDS Church subjects, as well as news articles and writings he collected, are located in boxes 2-3. Correspondence between Traughber and others can also be found in box 2. Boxes 4-5 contains newspaper photocopies and books.
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.
Some original items have been removed and placed in Reserve. Access must be given by the Manuscripts Curator and by appointment. An archivist must remain with the items if being used. Photocopies are available in the collection for research 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
Collection Name, Collection Number, Box Number, Folder Number. Special Collections, J. Willard Marriott Library, The University of Utah.
Boxes 1-3 were purchased from H. Otis Traughber in 1995 and boxes 4-5 were donated by Michael and Nela Brown in 1997.
Processed by Kate Kimball in 2001.
Photograph was transferred to the Multimedia Division (P0743) of Special Collections. Orson Pratt's Series of Pamphlets by Orson Pratt (1851), and Charles Bancroft's, Footprints of Time and a Complete Anaylsis of Our American System of Government (1880) were removed to the library's Rare Books Division.
Researchers interested in William E. McLellin should also see the William E. McLellin collection, ACCN 1827.
All items in this series are either photocopies or transcripts of the original documents. The three notebooks by McLellin are in the Manuscripts Division Safe. The original items may be viewed with permission from the Curator of the Manuscripts Division.
These folders contains a photocopied version for access purposes. The original item has been removed and placed in Reserve. Access must be given by the Manuscripts Curator and by appointment. An archivist must remain with the item if being used.
This is a typescript of the notebook located in folders 2-7.
These folders contain a photocopied version for access purposes. The original item has been removed and placed in Reserve. Access must be given by the Manuscripts Curator and by appointment. An archivist must remain with the item if being used.
This is a typescript of the notebook located in folders 14-15.
These folders contain a photocopied version for access purposes. The original item has been removed and placed in Reserve. Access must be given by the Manuscripts Curator and by appointment. An archivist must remain with the item if being used.
This is a typescript of the notebook located in folders 21-23.
Box 2, folders 35-46 contain Traughber's notes on various subjects, as listed.
This folder contains a photocopied version for access purposes. The original item has been removed and placed in Reserve. Access must be given by the Manuscripts Curator and by appointment. An archivist must remain with the item if being used.
This folder contains vol. 2, no. 10 and 11. This folder contains photocopied versions for access purposes. The original items have been removed and placed in Reserve. Access must be given by the Manuscripts Curator and by appointment. An archivist must remain with the items if being used.
This folder contains a photocopied version for access purposes. The original item has been removed and placed in Reserve. Access must be given by the Manuscripts Curator and by appointment. An archivist must remain with the item if being used.