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Show SENATOR SMOOT Has Had a Successful Business Career and as Eccleslast is Very Popular. Reed Smoot was born January 10, 1802, In Salt Lako City. Ills father, Abraham O. Smoot, was a native of Kentucky and his mother, Anna Kir-stlno Kir-stlno Mourltzen, was born In Norway. Ho received his first education in a private school in Salt Lake, and later attended a ward school. In 1872 that part of Abraham O. S moot's family of which Reed was a member removed to Provo, where another portion of tho family had resided since 1808. At Provo he attended tho University of Dcscrct, the predecessor of the Brig-ham Brig-ham Young academy. Ho passed through all the higher branches then taught there, and at one time was tlio only student in tho acadcmlo department, depart-ment, from which he was graduated in 1879. He studied principally along commercial lines, and at intervals, mainly during vacations, worked in tho Provo woolen mills, which his father and others had founded and which started in 1872. There he obtained ob-tained his first insight Into manufacture, manufac-ture, a practical Insight, for ho worked work-ed in every department of tho factory. Upon leaving school he fully made up his mind to pursue a commercial career, and with that in view took a humble position in the Provo Co-operative lnstltutiod, tho first co-operative store organized In Utah. Beginning Begin-ning at the bottom of the ladder Reed went to work sacking fruit, sorting potatoes po-tatoes and i'0'ng odd jobs about the place, but ' tho while keeping his eye on the mark for which he had set out. Ho became superintendent of the Co-operative Institution In 1880, and remained such until April, 1884, when he was made manager of the Provo woolen mills. He was twice called on a mission, and both times tho call was rescinded because his services ser-vices were needed attho woolen mills. Another call was made In 1800, and ho went to Liverpool, the headquarters of the European mission. Prior to going go-ing upon his mission he had nob been very active In religious matters, but had thrown his whole soul Into business busi-ness and was fast becoming a man of means. While abroad ho labored principally In the Liverpool olllccas oooKKccper ami immigration cleric. He also visited and spoke at tho various vari-ous conferences, and from July 2 to August 0, 1801, was absent from England Eng-land touring the continent. Tho party passed successively through Bel-glum, Bel-glum, Holland, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and France. Mr. Smoot, was called homo by a telegram from President Presi-dent Woodruff, which informed him of the serious Illness of his father, and In response to this summons ho sailed from Liverpool on the 10th of September Septem-ber and arrived at Provo, October 1, 1801. For a short time he assisted his father as manager of the Provo Lumber Lum-ber Manufacturing & Building company. com-pany. In tho spring ot 1802 ho resumed resum-ed his former position as manager of tho Provo woolen 'mills, which under his ablo direction havo achieved a splendid success. That position he still holds. At tho time ho went to Europe Mr. Smoot was a married man and had been since September 17, 1884, when ho wedded Miss' Alpha M. Eldredge, (laughter of noraco S. Eldredge, one of tho first soven presidents of tho seventies. They havo had six children, child-ren, 11 vo of whom aro living, and tholr married life hus;bcen a happy ono. IIo has been president of tho Provo Com-, mcrclal & Savings bank. IIo engaged considerably In mining and was mado vice-president of tho Grand Central Mining company, also of tho Victoria Minh'g company. Ho erected a number num-ber of business houses and became a director in tho Clark-Eldrcdgo company com-pany of Salt Lako City as well as of various other concerns. Ills latest notablo appointment was a directorship director-ship of tho Los Angeles & Salt Lako railway. From March 15, 1604, until tho advent of statehood ho served as director of tho Territorial Insane asylum by appointment of Governor Caled W. West, and after Utah entered enter-ed tho Union lie was appointed by Gov. Hcber M. Wells as :t inomber of the Scml-Centcnnlal commission, which In 1607 conducted the pioneer Jubilee. Mr. Smoot's ecclesiastical record Is as follows: no was baptized at 8 years in tho Endowment houso in Salt Lako City and was ordained a deacon July IS, 18S7. In 1870 ho was raado a priest, and In April, 1880, an elder. Four years later ho was ordained a seventy, and In April, ISO."., was ordained a high priest. At tlio same time ho was appointed ap-pointed second counsellor to President Edward Patrldge of Utah stake. He was called to the apostleship Aprils, 1000. In person Apostle Smoot Is tall and well-built, though his unusual height glve3 him the appcaraneo of slendcrncss. Ho moves with a rapid, nervous stride. Ho Is punctual In keeping his appointments, and, as ho says, owes his greatest losses of time to tho failure of other men to promptly prompt-ly keep theirs." During tho past week Mr. Smoot has added one more to his list of business busi-ness enterprises and was elected a director di-rector of tho Utah National bank of Salt Lake. |