| Show biographical SKETCH LESTER J HERRICK BY ELDER JOSEPH STANFORD in an elaborate genealogical work published blushed by lucius C herrick M V D of columbus ohio ibe the herricks Her ricke trace their ancestry back to the tenth een century tury locating them in leicester shire england a branch of the family two brothers emigrating to america in the seventeenth century the subject of our sketch lester james herrick the fourth son of lem uel and sally herrick Herric kwas was born de oember 14 1827 at nelson attelson portage county ohio at this place in the year 1880 his hia parents accepted the goal gospel 1 and became members of the 93 church hurch of jesus christ of litter day saints in 1831 the family moved into jackson county mo and in the year ar 1834 they were driven out with 0 the saints by a mob and settled in par far west in 1838 the driving scenes were ro re enacted on both occasions their homes with many others were destroyed by atre by the mob tue family next went into the state of illinois and in 1843 settled in corn com maercz afterwards called nauvoo here in 1811 1841 the mother died through the hardships privations and sufferings incident to a life of persecution tester J at this timea time being a lad of oly 14 years of age the family left nauvoo in 1842 and 7 located in morless Mor leys settlement from A which place they were driven in 1844 their property bein being gonce once laore destroyed by fire they again returned to nauvoo where they remained until the general exodus of the saints from this place in 1846 the family wre were dersom personally ally acquainted with both toe the prophet and patriarch joseph and hyrum smith who during the illness of L lester on ter J its a mother often visited toe the house after leaving nauvoo the family so journea one season in mount pisgah and then went to missouri where they r remained until the spring of 1850 it was from that part of the country that lester J took a trip ioto into ohio to see flee his bis brother alonzo T in going up the river he contracted a severe eold cold which settled sett ledin in his bis throat producing bronchitis followed him through life at times being very distressing lester J with his father brother nelson sisters lucy jane amanda and diana left missouri for utah anti ami crowed crossed the plains in ajohnson johnsons s hundred and bennetts bennetta fifty arriving in ia salt lake city september 22 18 0 amanda died on the journey of cholera after resting a few days in salt bait lake city they journeyed to ogden the father carried the chain for engineer Eug ineer jesse W fox in the first survey of ogden city they built a house and spent their first winter in browns fort in the spring they erected a house on the lot where brother warren Q G childs residence now stands the rho family in 1851 became separated through marriage in the spring diana married bishop isaac dark clark in july lester awas married by elder charles R dana to sarah A garner his twin sister lucy jane married the same day barnabus lake and the brother nelson married a daughter of B R D sprague lster leter J took up land and went to farming in the dallof fall of 1856 be was appointed second counselor to bishop bunker of the second ward ins in august 1857 he married his second wife mary brooks he was elected in 1858 sheriff of weber county receiving his commission from governor cummings the first official document issued by his excel loney lency as governor of the territory he was elected a selectman of the county in 1860 he served as a regular policeman in the city government for several years and until elected as an city councilman at the february election in 1861 hears he was shortly after appointed to the bishopric of the second ward selecting as aa his bin counselors hugh finlay and rufus allen alien in mardof this year the brother nelson died leaving a wife and three small children the widow survived the husband only ten years leaving at her deith a son william J and daughter alfretta the latter was reared to womanhood by lester J and wife sarah A September In Inep 1861 father herrick died of general debility aged 70 years by the county records we find in 1864 lester J still a member of the county cobit a d at the february election in 1865 he was elected an alderman manof of the city and reelected elected re to the same position again in 1867 in the fall of this same year lester J entered into partnership with david H peery in the general genahl merchandise business the firm soon commanded a good trade and was very successful they continued in business until 1870 when the operative cooperative co mercantile organizations dame came into existence under the auspices of the church authorities when the firm sold out to the parent institution of salt bait lake city in 1867 brother herrick married his hi third wife agnes in 1869 he visited for the first time since sinca his residence in utah the eastern states and spent about two months among friends and relatives whom he had not seen for twenty years he was received with great ki kindness oil ness and spent a very pleasant and profitable time in 1870 lester J was appointed by president brigham young to succeed chauncey W west deceased a presiding bishop of weber county which poo position he successfully filled until 1875 he was elected mayor of ogden city in february 1871 and reelected elected re to the same honorable position in 1873 1878 and agai i in 1875 at the april conference in 1878 he was called on a mission V T w land he landed in liverpool in may av y and was appointed by apostle albert carrington to preside over the london conference in the fall of this year brother carrington ou was called home to von and herrick was appointed to succeed him in the charge of the european mission which position he be occupied until the following spring when he be was released to return home apostle joseph F smith succeeding to the presidency of the mission elder herrick arrived in ogden in ju spending fifteen months in missionary work in addition to hie direct labors in supervising the affairs of the church in great britain and adjacent countries he be visited parts paris berlin the worlds world a fair at vienna italy and switzerland made a tour of toe the channel islands the isle of man and ireland and spent a highly enjoyable and instructive season during his big sojourn in europe he be bad good health and felt better and stronger in body on his return home than lie he bad done for many years previously at the august election ejection he was again elected on the county ticket as a selectman I 1 in 1876 1875 lester J entered into partnership with A D H peery W W burton and others in the milling and general merchandise con tinned until the year 1880 win when the firm dissolved in 1877 president B brigham young at a conference held in the cm ogden den tabernacle er appointed lester leater J as aa first counselor to elder david H peery in the presidency of the weber stake of zion the electors of weber county at their regular august election again returned lester J J as a selectman in 1879 at the february muni municipal 41 election he was for the fourth wae elected mayor of ogden city and he was reelected elected re to the same office in 1881 with his hie wife sarah in the spring of 1882 he visited and spent several months among relatives and friends in the eastern states this same year he associated himself with others in the wagon machinery and farming implement business under the firm name of burton herrick white the firm had bad a successful run for about six years when by adding new partners thus largely increasing the capital capita the firm name was changed to the consolidated implement company J herrick retaining a large interest in the concern fron from the foregoing brief it willbe will be learned that brother herrick had bad up to this time blent a very active life his abili abilities tits and energies were not directed in any one special calling or pursuit aside from pr private v te duty and business enterprise he served the community in many civil offices of trust and responsibility in the church he be was zealous and faithful in every position and department in which he labored As a counselor and presiding officer he had but few superiors while acting as one of the stake presidency he be usually presided at the trials of cases heard before the high council As an executive officer at the head of municipal affairs he be ex habited a liberal progressive spirit and evoy enjoyed d the support and esteem of his colleagues gues in the discharge of the duties ot of this import important aut public trust the circumstances attending him from youth to manhood like thou sands of others who passed through the tro persecution elution and dr ivings of early days in this church barred him from a acquiring an education hence he was not trained in the art oratory or schooled in the rules of rhetoric yet he was an intelligent logical exponent of his own ideas and nd convictions on all matters pertaining to both church and state deliberate in council but firm in decision genial and pleasant SRUL and d with ready conversational powers in society he made for himself a host of friends his retirement from the mayoralty of ogden city in im february 1888 called forth into prominent arr re relief I 1 ef and esteem the regard entertained for him by the citizens both mormon and gentile many of the latter expressing personal regret that the edumunds tucker law placed the matter of his continuance in public office beyond the range of possibilities the banquet tendered him with the presents as tokens of friendship the speeches delivered etc are matters which have passed into history continued failing health induced ham in 1885 to try the atIo atmosphere sphere of the pacific cosit coast he spent about two years in sah ban bernardino col cal where he received every attention medical and otherwise which could be bestow ed deriving darivin i g no benefit he returned home hiis bin wife sarah having been his constant companion all the symptoms of consumption now developed themselves and for the post past five years the cough although from week to week and from month to month almost imperceptible in its operations gradually wasted his body until his great physical vitality bad to yield and on april his spirit passed to the great beyond where it will mingle with a happy host of intelligent tell igent compani companions with the bonds of eternal brotherhood of the everlasting priesthood and gospel awaiting joyfully the dawn of the resurrection morn more |
