David L. Bigler papers, 1804-2016

David Louis Bigler was born on 9 May 1927 in Provo, Utah. After serving in the U. S. navy during World War II and the Korean War, he became a student at the University of Utah where he was the editor of the student newspaper. In 1950 David graduated with a degree in journalism. While in the employ of the United Press, Bigler obtained a job at the Geneva Steel Company working there for thirty-six years in the public relations department. Prior to his retirement in 1986 at the age of fifty-nine, David commenced a second career as a historian unaffiliated with an academic institution. David's publishing career spanned forty-four years beginning in 1967 with an article which appeared appearing in the "Utah Historical Quarterly". The topic of the article was Fort Limhi, a mid-nineteenth century LDS community in Oregon territory. Bigler later (2001) published a book focussing upon the LDS experience at Fort Limhi. David wrote and edited five books, co-authored one work with Will Bagley, co-edited two other publications with Will Bagley, and published over forty articles and book reviews in scholarly journals. The subjects of these works included the role of LDS Church in the California gold discovery, a study of the L. D. S. effort to construct a theocratic society in Utah, a discussion of the political and miltary history of the Mormon Battalion, a collection of previously unknown sources concerning the Mountain Meadows massacre, and an exposition of the LDS confrontation with the federal government during the 1850s.

Bigler, a self-proclaimed revisionist historian, was not a practitioner of faith-promoting LDS history. An ex-LDS with prominent LDS ancestors, David strove to present material in an unbiased, non-hagiographical, unsanitized narration and analysis of nineteenth century LDS ideas, leaders, ideas, and actions. In his final publication entitled "Confessions of a Revisionist Historian" (2015), David contended that his work which was "more honest, factual, and internally consistent", and thus it superseded an allegedly "bogus, spurious, and fictionalized" account of L.D.S. history. Several organizations, such as the Utah State Historical Society, the Mormon History Association, the Board of Utah State History, the John Whitmer Historical Association, the Western Writers of America, and the Westerners International have acclaimed Bigler's work with three best book awards and two best articles of the year awards. The three best book awards (1999-2012) were bestowed upon "Forgotten Kingdom: The Mormon Theocracy in the American West, 1847-1896", "Army of Israel: Mormon Battalion Narratives", and "The Mormon Rebellion: America's First Civil War, 1857-1858". In 1992 the Utah State Historical Society presented a service award to Bigler and two years later the American Association of State and Local History recognized David's lifetime accomplishments in Utah history by issuing an award of commendation. Southern Utah State College granted him with a honorary Doctor of Letters in 1979 for his contributions to its community as a member of the college's Institutional Council.

Non-institutional evaluations of Bigler's impressive productivity were often laudatory. His edited works received considerable praise for furnishing ample bibliographical references, important biographical information, and pertinent historical background related to the printed sources. Bigler and his collaborator Will Bagley were commended for their tireless efforts to discover new documentary materials which significantly advanced our knowledge of various aspects of LDS history. Manuscript and book reviewers frequently called attention to Bigler's felicitous prose, even-handed treatment of ninteenth century L.D.S. historical events, well-organized presentation, compelling arguments, thought provoking and perceptive analysis, refreshing revision of standard narratives, and very thorough utilization of primary source material. Occasionally criticism was made of Bigler's iconoclastic tendencies towards faith promoting versions of LDS history, over reliance upon U. S. governmental documents and viewpoints, under usage of materials favorable to L.D.S. motives and actions, and an over emphasis on the role of LDS violence. The book which attracted the greatest scholarly interest was "Forgotten Kingdom: The Mormon Theocracy in the American West, 1847-1896". More than twenty reviews of this work appeared in scholarly journals.

David was quite active in numerous professional, civil, and religious organizations. He was a an officer and director in the Utah Manufacturers Association, the Utah Mining Association, the Salt Lake Area of the Chamber of Commerce and the Friends of the University of Utah Libraries. Bigler served as chairman of Utah County's initial United Way campaign, was a founder of the Utah Heritage Foundation, chaired Utah's first Equal Opportunity Conference, and acted as the vice-president of the Utah Advisory Council for Vocational Education. David was a founder and first president of the Utah Westerners, presided over the Oregon-California Trails Association, was a member of the Utah Board of State History, and held memberships in the Western History Association, the Mormon History Association, the Utah State Historical Society, the U. S. Mormon Battalion Association, the Sons of the Utah Pioneers, the Gold Discovery Park Association, and the Sacramento Westerners. He was a member of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, served as an elder in three Christian churches, and taught Utah history to his Presbyterian congregation's Sunday School class.

David L. Bigler died on 31 January, 2018 in Roseville, California.