UUM_Ms0373.xml Inventory of the collection on Wilford Woodruff Woodruff (Wilford) collection Finding aid prepared by Sharon Thorup. J. Willard Marriott Library Special Collections

1983 (last modified: 2018 and 2026)

295 South 1500 East Salt Lake City, Utah 84112 Business Number: 801-581-8863 special@library.utah.edu https://lib.utah.edu/collections/special-collections/index.php

This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2026-09-30. Finding aid written in English. Finding aid based on DACS (Describing Archives: A Content Standard), 2nd Edition. J. Willard Marriott Library Special Collections Collection on Wilford Woodruff Woodruff, Wilford, 1807-1898 MS 0373 2.35 linear feet 6 boxes and 2 microfilm reels 1807-1926 The collection on Wilford Woodruff (1807-1926) contains a handwritten document by Woodruff regarding the successions of the Mormon Church Presidency, concerning Orson Hyde and Orson Pratt and their placement in line of succession of the LDS Church. Also included are copies of his journal as well as a revelation from 1877. Wilford Woodruff was the fourth president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). English

The collection was re-arranged intellectually to consolidate similar materials found in different series. The donations and the purchases remain physically separated as best as possible.

Wilford Woodruff (1807-1898) was one of the most important record keepers in Mormon and early Utah History. His journal, which covers 1833-1898, is the best record for many of Joseph Smith's sermons. Born in Conneticut, Woodruff was in the saw-mill industry when he began a quest to find religion. He soon encountered the Mormon missionaries and was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Within the decade he followed in the footsteps of those missionaries by serving missions in the Southern States, New England, and Great Britain. He was called as an apostle in 1839 and in eight years participated in the vanguard group that entered the Salt Lake Valley on 24 July 1847. He was responsible for helping with Mormon temple work and was the first President of the St. George Temple when it opened. He also supervised a good portion of the construction of the Salt Lake Temple and dedicated it when finished in 1893. He had five wives and thirty-three children. He succeeded John Taylor as LDS Church President in the midst of the Polygamy controversy. With Federal laws fracturing the Church, Woodruff officially ended polygamy in 1890. In the last years of his tenure as President he dealt with the LDS Church's financial difficulties and church-owned businesses being hit by the Panic of 1893. He died in San Francisco in 1898.

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 Use Agreement and Reproduction Request forms.

Microfilm provided by the LDS Church Historian's Office, Salt Lake City, Utah in 1965.

Original diaries are located at the LDS Church Historical Department, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Donated by Guy Potter in 1973.

Box 1, folder 2 was purchased in 2016.

Box 2 was purchased from Anthony's Fine Arts and Antiques in 2017.

Box 3, folder 3 was donated by Mark and Melissa Holden in 2018.

Box 3, folders 1-2, 4-6 were donated by R. Tracy Rawle in 2018.

Boxes 4 and 5 source is unknown.

Box 6 was donated by R. Tracy Rawle in 2018.

Collection Name, Collection Number, Box Number, Folder Number. Special Collections, J. Willard Marriott Library, The University of Utah.

Processed by Sharon Thorup in 1983.

Addenda processed by Betsey Welland in 2018.

Boxes 3-6 processed by Gina C Giang in 2026.

Most of the materials found in boxes 3-6 are digitized at the Wilford Woodruff collection, 1831-1905.

The collection on Wilford Woodruff (1807-1898) contains a handwritten document by Woodruff regarding the successions of the Mormon Church Presidency, concerning Orson Hyde and Orson Pratt and their placement in line of succession of the LDS Church. Also included is a revelation of Wilford Woodruff from December 1877, two reels of microfilm which are of his original journals from 1833-1898, and two typed copies of extracts from his journal covering the years of 1834-1898.

Box 3 includes a letter written by Phebe Woodruff to Wilford Woodruff regarding Joseph Smith's sermon introducing baptizing for the dead; and a letter written by Edward Partridge, Jr. letter to Wilford Woodruff concerning a 4-day conference in Lanai (Hawaii.)

Click here to view digitized materials from the collection or visit ArchivesSpace for a container level list of digitized materials.

Woodruff, Wilford, 1807-1898--Archives Woodruff, Phebe Whittemore Carter, 1807-1885 Partridge, Edward, Jr., 1833-1900 Deseret Agricultural and Manufacturing Society--Sources Utah--History--Sources Latter Day Saints--Diaries Latter Day Saint churches--History--Sources Latter Day Saints--Apostles--Diaries Mormonism (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) Diaries 1: Correspondence Woodruff, Phebe Whittemore Carter, 1807-1885 autograph letters signed to Wilford Woodruff, 1807-1898 1837 July 9 and undated 4 1

Canaan (Conn.)

Includes undated letter.

This item is in the Reserve Collection. Access must be given by the Manuscripts Curator.

Woodruff, Phebe Whittemore Carter, 1807-1885 autograph letter signed to Wilford Woodruff, 1807-1898 1837 August 5 4 2

Scarborough (Me.)

Includes transcript.

This item is in the Reserve Collection. Access must be given by the Manuscripts Curator.

Woodruff, Wilford, 1807-1898 and Webster, Eunice Hart Woodruff, 1821-1853 autograph letter signed to Phebe Wittemore Carter, 1807-1885 1839 September 30 4 3

Farmington (Conn.)

Includes transcript.

This item is in the Reserve Collection. Access must be given by the Manuscripts Curator.

Woodruff, Wilford, 1807-1898 autograph letter signed to Phebe Wittemore Carter, 1807-1885 1839 October 23 4 4

New York (N.Y.)

Includes transcript.

This item is in the Reserve Collection. Access must be given by the Manuscripts Curator.

Woodruff, Wilford, 1807-1898 autograph letter signed to Phebe Wittemore Carter, 1807-1885 1839 November 11 4 5

New Egypt (N.J.)

Includes transcript.

This item is in the Reserve Collection. Access must be given by the Manuscripts Curator.

Woodruff, Wilford, 1807-1898 autograph letter signed to Phebe Wittemore Carter, 1807-1885 1840 January 12 4 6

Liverpool (England).

Includes transcript.

This item is in the Reserve Collection. Access must be given by the Manuscripts Curator.

Woodruff, Phebe Whittemore Carter, 1807-1885 autograph letter signed to Wilford Woodruff, 1807-1898 1840 April 1 4 7

Montrose (Iowa).

Includes transcript.

This item is in the Reserve Collection. Access must be given by the Manuscripts Curator.

Woodruff, Wilford, 1807-1898 autograph letter signed to Phebe Wittemore Carter, 1807-1885 1840 July 8 4 8

Manchester (England).

Includes transcript.

This item is in the Reserve Collection. Access must be given by the Manuscripts Curator.

Woodruff, Wilford, 1807-1898 autograph letter signed to Ilus Fabyan Carter, 1816-1888 1840 July 10 4 9

Manchester (England).

Includes transcript.

This item is in the Reserve Collection. Access must be given by the Manuscripts Curator.

Woodruff, Wilford, 1807-1898 autograph letter signed to Phebe Wittemore Carter, 1807-1885 1840 July 14 4 10

Manchester (England).

Includes transcript.

This item is in the Reserve Collection. Access must be given by the Manuscripts Curator.

Woodruff, Wilford, 1807-1898 autograph letter signed to Phebe Wittemore Carter, 1807-1885 1840 July 16 4 11

Stoke-on-Trent (England).

Includes transcript.

This item is in the Reserve Collection. Access must be given by the Manuscripts Curator.

Woodruff, Wilford, 1807-1898 autograph letter signed to Phebe Wittemore Carter, 1807-1885 1840 August 10 4 12

Herefordshire (England).

Includes transcript.

This item is in the Reserve Collection. Access must be given by the Manuscripts Curator.

Woodruff, Wilford, 1807-1898 autograph letter signed to Phebe Wittemore Carter, 1807-1885 1840 August 18 4 13

London (England).

Includes transcript.

This item is in the Reserve Collection. Access must be given by the Manuscripts Curator.

Woodruff, Wilford, 1807-1898 autograph letter signed to Phebe Wittemore Carter, 1807-1885 1840 August 22 4 14

London (England).

Includes transcript.

This item is in the Reserve Collection. Access must be given by the Manuscripts Curator.

Woodruff, Phebe Whittemore Carter, 1807-1885 autograph letter to Wilford Woodruff, 1807-1898 1840 September 1 4 15

Montrose (Iowa).

Includes transcript and "Lines on Sarah Emma's death.

This item is in the Reserve Collection. Access must be given by the Manuscripts Curator.

Woodruff, Wilford, 1807-1898 autograph letter signed to Phebe Wittemore Carter, 1807-1885 1840 October 5 4 16

Manchester (England).

Includes transcript.

This item is in the Reserve Collection. Access must be given by the Manuscripts Curator.

Woodruff, Phebe Whittemore Carter, 1807-1885 autograph letter signed to Wilford Woodruff, 1807-1898 1840 October 6 3 3

This item is in the Reserve Collection. Access must be given by the Manuscripts Curator.

Six-page letter written in Lee County (Iowa) related to Joseph Smith's sermon introducing baptizing for the dead.

Carter, Ezra, 1773-1869, Moulton, Freedom, 1808-1857, Woodruff, Phebe Whittemore Carter, 1807-1885, and sisters autograph letter signed to Wilford Woodruff, 1807-1898 1841 January 10 4 17

Scarborough (Me.)

Includes transcript.

This item is in the Reserve Collection. Access must be given by the Manuscripts Curator.

Woodruff, Phebe Whittemore Carter, 1807-1885 autograph letter signed to Wilford Woodruff, 1807-1898 1841 March 27 4 18

Scarborough (Me.)

Includes transcript.

This item is in the Reserve Collection. Access must be given by the Manuscripts Curator.

Woodruff, Phebe Whittemore Carter, 1807-1885 autograph letter signed to Wilford Woodruff, 1807-1898 1841 April 18 4 19

Scarborough (Me.)

Includes transcript.

This item is in the Reserve Collection. Access must be given by the Manuscripts Curator.

Woodruff, Wilford, 1807-1898 autograph letter signed to Phebe Wittemore Carter, 1807-1885 1841 May 24 4 20

New York (N.Y.)

Includes transcript.

This item is in the Reserve Collection. Access must be given by the Manuscripts Curator.

Woodruff, Wilford, 1807-1898 autograph letter signed to Phebe Wittemore Carter, 1807-1885 1846 March 12 4 21

Farmington (Conn.)

This item is in the Reserve Collection. Access must be given by the Manuscripts Curator.

Woodruff, Phebe Whittemore Carter, 1807-1885 autograph letter signed to Ezra Carter, 1773-1868 1849 February 23 4 22

Cambridgeport (Mass.).

This item is in the Reserve Collection. Access must be given by the Manuscripts Curator.

Woodruff, Wilford, 1807-1898 autograph letter signed to Phebe Wittemore Carter, 1807-1885 1849 July 14 4 23

Beaver Harbour, New Brunswick.

This item is in the Reserve Collection. Access must be given by the Manuscripts Curator.

Woodruff, Wilford, 1807-1898 autograph letter signed to Phebe Wittemore Carter, 1807-1885 1849 July 24 4 24 Partridge, Edward, Jr., 1833-1900 to autograph letter signed to Wilford Woodruff, 1807-1898 1856 April 17 3 4

This item is in the Reserve Collection. Access must be given by the Manuscripts Curator.

Two-page letter written from Lanai (Hawaii) describing "conference of foreign Elders."

Woodruff, Henry Lewis, 1852-1941 autograph letter signed to Wilford Woodruff, 1807-1898 1892 December 2 5 1

Macon (Ga.).

This item is in the Reserve Collection. Access must be given by the Manuscripts Curator.

Woodruff, Wilford, 1807-1898 autograph letter to "Editor Deseret News" [Joseph J. Cannon, 1877-1945] approximately 1897 6 1 2: Documents and printed materials Announcements 1897 5 2

Woodruff family reunion [printed].

This item is in the Reserve Collection. Access must be given by the Manuscripts Curator.

Conference report 1840 April 15 6 2

Temperance Hall, Preston, Lancashire (England).

Handwritten by William Clayton, 1814-1879 and conducted by Heber C. (Heber Chase) Kimball, 1801-1868.

This item is in the Reserve Collection. Access must be given by the Manuscripts Curator.

Funeral program of Wilford Woodruff 1898 1 2

Program for the funeral of the fourth Prophet of the LDS Church, Wilford Woodruff. A short biographical sketch is followed by the full program that lists the hymns sung by the Tabernacle Choir, the order of procession and the various committees that were organized for the occasion and their members.

Handwritten document by Woodruff regarding the successions of the Mormon Church Presidency, concerning Orson Hyde and Orson Pratt and their placement in line of succession of the LDS Church 1861 2

This item is in the Reserve Collection. Access must be given by the Manuscripts Curator. Researchers may use the photocopy of the item located in box 1, folder 3, without an appointment.

Handwritten document by Woodruff regarding the successions of the Mormon Church Presidency, concerning Orson Hyde and Orson Pratt and their placement in line of succession of the LDS Church [access copy] 1861 1 3

Photocopy.

Patriarchal blessing of Samuel Smith, 1807-1850 1807 June 11 3 1

This item is in the Reserve Collection. Access must be given by the Manuscripts Curator.

Clarksville (Tenn.). # 657. Recorded, page 139, in small book.

Report beginning "The legislative assembly met at the social hall at 10…" 1856 December 18 3 5

This item is in the Reserve Collection. Access must be given by the Manuscripts Curator.

The two-page report is almost entirely written in shorthand.

Revelation concerning the Last Days 1877 1 1 Stephen M. Farnsworth vision 1870s or 1880's 3 6

This item is in the Reserve Collection. Access must be given by the Manuscripts Curator.

Four-page document written by John Smith, 1832-1911. Smith wrote" W." rather than "M."

Temple records 1876-1881 5 3 Truth and seasons, volume 1, number 11 1840 September 3 2

This item is in the Reserve Collection. Access must be given by the Manuscripts Curator.

Digital copy at L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University.

Clipping entitled: "A History, of the Persecution, of the Church of Jesus Christ, of Latter-day Saints in Missouri."

Signed by William Richards.

3: Genealogies (histories) "A 'fragment' of the genealogy of the American branch of the Woodruff family" by Henry Lewis Woodruff, 1852-1941 undated 5 4

Includes "circular letter."

This item is in the Reserve Collection. Access must be given by the Manuscripts Curator.

"A list of Woodruffs" undated 5 5

From the Record of President Wilford Woodruff of Salt Lake City, Utah.

This item is in the Reserve Collection. Access must be given by the Manuscripts Curator.

"List of variations in spelling the family name Woodruff" by Henry Lewis Woodruff, 1852-1941 5 6

This item is in the Reserve Collection. Access must be given by the Manuscripts Curator.

"Thompson genealogy" 5 7

This item is in the Reserve Collection. Access must be given by the Manuscripts Curator.

"Wilford Woodruff genealogy" undated 5 8

Typewritten.

Related to Wilford Woodruff, 1807-1898 family history.

This item is in the Reserve Collection. Access must be given by the Manuscripts Curator.

Woodruff, Ozem Thompson, 1804-1893 5 9

This item is in the Reserve Collection. Access must be given by the Manuscripts Curator.

Beginning "Great grandfather, Josiah Woodruff…" approximately 1892-1893 5 10

Handwritten on the L.D.S. Historian's Office letterhead.

This item is in the Reserve Collection. Access must be given by the Manuscripts Curator.

Beginning "Sara Ann Smith..." after 1926 5 11

Loose pages removed from a family Bible or book. Held together by blue string.

Written in ink and pencil.

Includes transcript.

This item is in the Reserve Collection. Access must be given by the Manuscripts Curator.

4: Writings

This item is in the Reserve Collection. Access must be given by the Manuscripts Curator.

Journal of Wilford Woodruff 1834-1898 1 1-2

Typed selections.

Journal of Wilford Woodruff [microfilm] 1833-1898 1 Journal of Wilford Woodruff [microfilm] 2 A song from Willford [sic] to Amasa Lyman by Wilford Woodruff, 1807-1898 1834 4 25

Includes transcript.

This item is in the Reserve Collection. Access must be given by the Manuscripts Curator.

"Composition for amusement" by Wilford Woodruff, 1807-1898 1832 4 26

This item is in the Reserve Collection. Access must be given by the Manuscripts Curator.

Lines on the death of an infant 1831 March 7 4 27

This item is in the Reserve Collection. Access must be given by the Manuscripts Curator.

Lines on the death of Sara Emma Woodruff undated 4 28

This item is in the Reserve Collection. Access must be given by the Manuscripts Curator.

"The past" by Wilford Woodruff, 1807-1898 1832 4 29

Includes transcript.

This item is in the Reserve Collection. Access must be given by the Manuscripts Curator.

To the memory of Sarah Emma Woodruff by Margaret Thompson McMeans Adkins (Adkinson) Smoot, 1809–1884 1840 July 17 4 30

This item is in the Reserve Collection. Access must be given by the Manuscripts Curator.

"Written on the death of Calvin Foss, a member of the Church of Latter-day Saints" by Wilford Woodruff, 1807-1898 1837 4 31

This item is in the Reserve Collection. Access must be given by the Manuscripts Curator.