8th Utah Territorial Legislature

The 8th Utah Territorial Legislature comprised members of the Territorial Council serving the second year of their terms, together with members of the House of Representatives elected to one-year terms.

Session

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The legislative session convened amid some confusion on December 13, 1858. While newly installed Governor Alfred Cumming summoned the Legislative Assembly to meet in Fillmore at the Territorial Statehouse,[1] only a minority of legislators appeared there when the session opened. It is not clear if Cumming was aware that the 1856 session of the legislature had abandoned Fillmore and relocated the capital to Salt Lake City, but on that basis a quorum of both houses initially met at the Social Hall in Salt Lake. The Salt Lake City group adjourned and traveled to Fillmore where the session resumed with the majority of the legislature on December 18. The legislators apparently were able to convince Cumming of the inadequate accommodations in Fillmore and inconvenience relative to population centers, especially as the Governor's office was also in Salt Lake. The Assembly thus passed a resolution with his approval to adjourn again and re-convene in Salt Lake City on December 27.[2] The session then concluded as scheduled on January 21, 1859.[3]

Members

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Name County Office Notes
Territorial Council:
Lewis Brunson Millard
Albert Carrington Salt Lake
Lorin Farr Weber
Leonard E. Harrington Utah
Joseph Holbrook Davis
Benjamin F. Johnson Utah
Heber C. Kimball Salt Lake
Franklin D. Richards Salt Lake
George A. Smith Iron
Lorenzo Snow Weber
Warren S. Snow San Pete
Daniel H. Wells Salt Lake President
Wilford Woodruff Salt Lake President pro tem[4]
Territorial House of Representatives:
Jacob G. Bigler Juab
Hiram B. Clawson Salt Lake
Robert D. Covington Iron
James W. Cummings Salt Lake
Philo T. Farnsworth Millard
Isaac C. Haight Iron
Samuel Henderson Davis
Orson Hyde Salt Lake
Aaron Johnson Utah Speaker pro tem[4]
Jesse C. Little Salt Lake
Alexander McRae Salt Lake
William J. Osborn Green River
George Peacock San Pete
Charles C. Rich Davis
Samuel W. Richards Salt Lake
Albert P. Rockwood Salt Lake
John Rowberry Tooele
James C. Snow Utah
Daniel Spencer Salt Lake
Hosea Stout Salt Lake
John Taylor Salt Lake Speaker
Preston Thomas Utah
Chauncey W. West Weber
Edwin D. Woolley Salt Lake
Jonathan C. Wright Box Elder
Joseph A. Young Salt Lake

References

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  1. ^ "The Legislative Assembly". Deseret News. October 20, 1858. p. 4. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  2. ^ "Legislative Assembly". Deseret News. December 22, 1858. p. 3. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  3. ^ "The Legislative Assembly of 1858-9". Deseret News. January 26, 1859. p. 3. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  4. ^ a b Reports indicated that the Salt Lake quorum organized there prior to departing for Fillmore. However, the resolution to adjourn in Fillmore was issued over the names of Woodruff and Johnson acting pro tempore, implying that Wells and Taylor were not present. It is not clear if they had departed early for the return to Salt Lake, or if they might never have left in the first place.