Although Albert Carrington (1813-1889) was born in Royalton, Windsor County, Vermont, only a few miles from the birthplace of Joseph Smith, he did not meet the Prophet until 1844, only a few days before his martyrdom. A graduate of the Dartmouth College class of 1833 (graduated in 1834), Carrington taught school and studied law in Pennsylvania, later moving to Wisconsin where he was engaged in lead mining at the time of his conversion to the Church. His fine education and legal training enabled him to be of great service to the people of Utah. Soon after his arrival in 1847, Carrington was elected Salt Lake City clerk, historian, and postmaster. He was chairman of the committee which drafted the constitution for the Provisional State of Deseret and an officer in that state government. After the territorial government was organized, he served in the legislature. He helped survey the Great Salt Lake and was for eight years editor of the
Carrington rendered valuable service to the Church both in Utah and abroad as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve and an assistant counselor to President Brigham Young. Four times during the period from 1868 to 1882 he served two-year terms as president of the European Mission. In 1872 he journeyed throughout Europe and Asia Minor with George A. Smith of the First Presidency, fellow apostle Lorenzo Snow, and others under assignment from President Brigham Young. In March 1873 in Palestine the group held a solemn worship service on the Mount of Olives in which they, as Orson Hyde had done thirty-two years before, dedicated that land to the return of the Jews.
Because of his close association with Brigham Young (he had served as his secretary for over twenty years), Carrington was appointed one of the administrators of President Young's estate when he died in 1877. The settling of the huge and complex estate was a long and involved process because of the large number of heirs and the difficult relationship between personal and Church property held by President Young. At one point the three administrators, Albert Carrington, George Q. Cannon, and Brigham Young Jr., as well as President John Taylor, were sentenced to prison by an anti-LDS judge in connection with the settlement of Church property. All but President Taylor served three weeks of the sentence before the decision was reversed by a higher court.
Albert Carrington's service to the Church ended four years before his death. In November of 1885, he was tried by his fellow apostles, found guilty of adultery and excommunicated. Two years later he was rebaptized and died a member of the Church.
The Albert Carrington papers (1847-1887) contain a collection of diaries that have been a part of the University of Utah library for many decades. These are all original documents and consist of letters, notes, certificates, deeds, financial accounts, tax records, receipts, and a few printed sheets. Because of the value of many of these documents, they have been photocopied for use by researchers.
The diaries, which are located in the first two boxes, cover the period from 1847 to 1886. Most have many blank pages and very sketchy information on his activities.
Boxes 3 and 4 contain the correspondence of Carrington and other documents. The family letters are mostly letters which he sent home to his wives and children while serving as president of the European Mission. Also included at the end of box 4 are various notes and transcriptions made by Carrington's great-granddaughter, Mirra Jacobs Bird, and a biography written by Steven H. Heath, a professor at Southern Utah University in Cedar City.
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.
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.
The diaries in this collection have been at the University of Utah for decades; the original donor information for these materials was not recorded.
Processed by Stan Larson in 1994.
Includes transcript of the period from 15 January to 28 May 1873.
This folder also includes a report to Brigham Young and Willard Richards, 23 January 1852, and correspondence for John B. Bell, J. M. Bernhisel, Albert Carrington, William Clayton, George W. Groo, W. H. Hooper, William Hooper, Orson Hyde, Pope C. Kirkpatrick, Joe McKnight, Mary Preston, W. B. Phillips, L. W. Powell, G. Ramsden, George Sims, Daniel H. Wells, Wilford Woodruff, and Brigham Young.
These folders include family correspondence, and correspondence for Albert Carrington, Maria Carrington, John R. Fretwell, Samuel F. M. Fretwell, Sarah Fretwell, J. B. Garber, W. H. Hooper, Isaac Stevens, and George E. Tingle.
This folder contains correspondence for W. G. Delony, Albert Carrington, John W. Gunnison, and W. W. Phelps.
This folder includes correspondence for Hiempsall Call, Albert Carrington, Albert Carrington's niece M. I. L., Emma B. Carrington, Ben and Jane Joven, Valentine Rock, Charles W. Sawyer, Jane Sawyer, Asa Saxton, Z. Snow, and J. W. Woods.
These folders contain an order telling Carrington to explore the Lake Sevier region and get acquanted with the Indians, a "Sketch of a trip to Pauvan Valley (Fillmore)," a "Report of the Committee for Locating the Site for the Seat of Government of Utah Territory," an "Abstract of Carrington's chain work of G. S. Lake & Eight of its Isles," "Chaining of Salt Lake Survey," Triangulation lines, and notes about fruits. This folder also contains correspondence for Spencer F. Baird, Albert Carrington, H. B. Clawson, Joseph Henry, John S. Newberry, D. U. Wells and Brigham Young.
This folder contains Carringtons authorizaion as president of the European Mission, Instructions for President Albert Carrington, Mission blessings, and Carringtons Release as Mission President.
This folder contains Albert Carrington's burial lot purchase certificat, will, charges for coffin, washing, dressing, shaving body, hearse, and grave, and nine letters of those receiving $664 from Carrington's estate. There are also correspondence for Zebulon, Aunt Sarah, Erastus B. Snow, J. M. C. Young, and "My Dear Children."
This folder contains transfer deeds for John M. Bernhisel, Albert Carrington, Calvin S. Carrington, Levi E. Riter, Charles B. Robbins, George A. Smith and Bathsheba W. Smith, Daniel H. Wells, and Brigham Young. This folder also contains correspondence for Albert Carrington, Hever C. Kimball, Daniel H. Wells, and Brigham Young.
This folder contains Certificate as Code Commissioner, High Priests' Quorum certificate, Membership certificate in Deseret Agricultural and Manufacturing Society, Mission certificate, Certificate as director of Zion's Co-operative Mercantile Institutuion, Certificate as executor of Brigham Young's Estate, and Power of Attorney.
This folders contain "The Wandering Refuge," a notice to Carrington to avoid Illinois while traveling, Utah Territorial District Court Announcement, a resolution made upon Daniel B. Carrington's death, biographical notes, a roster for Dartmouth College Classes of 1833,
This certificate is in Latin.