Son of Edwin Dillworth Woolley and Louisa Chapin Gordon

Married Mary Lavinia Bentley, 8 Oct 1869, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah

Children - Joseph Roscoe Woolley, Charles Robert Woolley, Cleo Myrtle Woolley, Richard Bentley Woolley, Elizabeth Price Woolley, Paul Clifford Woolley, Margaret Woolley, Edwin Gordon Woolley, Mary Louise Woolley, Emma Geneva Woolley, Frederick Ralph Woolley

History of Utah by Orson F. Whitney

History - Edwin Gordon Woolley - Probate Judge of Washington County, and now a resident of Salt Lake City. Hon. Edwin G. Woolley is the only child of the late Bishop Edwin D. Woolley and his second wife, Louisa Chapin Gordon. He was born at Nauvoo, Hancock County, Illinois, July 30, 1845. His mother, a native of the State of New York, was his father's first plural wife. At the time of the exodus from Nauvoo she remained hehind with her child and died at Galesburg, Illinois, April 29, 1849, leaving Edwin, then nearly four years old, to the care of her mother at Southampton, Massachusetts. To that place the boy was taken, and remained there in charge of his grandmother until 1850, when his father claimed him and brought him to Utah.

He received a mother's care from Mary Wickersham Woolley, the Bishop's first wife, and was treated the same as her own children. One of her sons, Edwin D. Jr., was but three months older than Edwin G., and the two were reared together, more like twins than ordinary brothers. They attended the primitive schools of the period, and when old enough worked in the fields and hauled wood and lumber from the canyons. At the time of the "Echo Canyon War" they were members of a company of light infantry composed of fifty boys, each about twelve years of age, and commanded by Captain John W. Young. This company, uniformed by Governor Brigham Young, was called the "Hope of Israel." They were well drilled and on the occasion of the historic celebration at the head of Big Cottonwood Canyon, when the news arrived of the coining of Johnston's army, they were there in full fighting trim and took part in the exercises.

Mr. Woolley well remembers the hard times in the early settlement of Salt Lake Valley, when many of the people had little to eat, except what they could get from the ground in the way of segoes, artichokes and other wild roots, providentially supplied, as he believes, since they were never so plentiful again; and he also remembers how his father, the Bishop, ever a hard worker and an excellent provider, fed not only his own family, who were put upon regular rations at times, but many poor people who came to him daily for help.

Studiously inclined, the youth mastered the rudiments of an English education, and when about nineteen essayed the role of school teaching. His father's children and the children of the neighbors were his pupils, and some of them were older than their teacher. Subsequently, with the consent of his sire, he apprenticed himself to the carpenter's trade with Messrs. Folsom and Romney and was put to work in their shops on Temple Block.

During the summer of 1865 he accompanied his father and President Young to St. George, and in the fall of 1866, again visited that city, where his brother, Franklin B. was then living. The following winter he made a trip with a six-mule team to Los Angeles, California, bringing back goods for F. B. Woolley and Erastus Snow. It was a hard experience, but he earned enough means to procure a complete set of carpenter tools, with which he returned to Salt Lake in the spring of 1867 and resumed work at his trade.

For some years he had been studying music under David O. Calder, and had been a member of the Tabernacle choir and other musical organizations, assisting in the choruses at the Salt Lake Theatre. He had also taken small parts in plays produced by the Deseret Dramatic Association, and had sung minor solo parts in musical presentations. He continued to advance along these lines and was on the stage with most of the stars who came to Salt Lake City at that time. He played Francois to T. A. Lyne's Richelieu and made quite a hit. He also appeared with the Irwins, with George Pauncefort and with Julia Dean Hayne.

Just as this class of work was becoming very interesting, he was called on a mission to Southern Utah, to help strengthen and develop that section. This was at the October conference of 1867. He was practically without means and had never had very robust health, but he still owned his set of carpenter tools, and responded to the call, trusting that he would be able to make a beginning even in "Dixie,'' which was considered a very hard country to conquer. His "twin," Edwin D., was also called to go, and in less than three weeks they were on the way, accompanying their brother Franklin B., who had been attending conference in Salt Lake City. Most of the missionaries called at this time located on the Muddy River, in Nevada, about ninety miles south-west from St. George; but the Woolley brothers and a few others located in that town. Edwin G. lived with and worked for his brother Franklin, who, by advancing means, assisted him to procure a home.

He now saw his first Indian service. In February, 1S69, he formed one of a scouting party through south-eastern Utah, for the purpose of intercepting marauding bands of Navajoes, and learning the trails and passes used by them in coming over the Colorado on their frequent stealing incursions. Willis Coplan was in command and Edwin G. Woolley was adjutant of tbe company. In November of the same year, he was aprain in the saddle, pursuing thieving Navajoes, in company with Jacob Hamlin and others. This time they had a sharp skirmish with the redskins near a place called Pahreah. It was in March of this year that his brother Franklin was murdered by Indians on the Mojave River in California. He had gone to that State for a train of merchandise with which to stock the newly organized St. George Co-operative mercantile institution, which he superintended. The mutilated body, enclosed in a metallic coffin, was brought home by E. D. Woolley, Jr., one of the freighters, and its arrival at St. George was the occasion of a great demonstration of sorrow, the deceased being highly respected and one of the most prominent and useful citizens of the southern country. Edwin G. succeeded Franklin as U. S. Deputy Collector of Internal Revenue, for Southern Utah, and about the same time he was appointed clerk of the High Council of St. George Stake, a position which he held for many years.

At Salt Lake City, on the 8th of October, 18R9, Edwin G. Woolley was united in marriage to Mary Lavinia Bentley, daughter of Richard and Elizabeth Price Bentley, whose acquaintance he had formed while upon his first visit to St. George. President Daniel H. Wells officiated in the ceremony. The young couple immediately returned to St. George, where, on the 1st of September, 1870, their first child was born—Edwin G. Woolley, Jr.

In 1871 Mr. Woolley was assessor and collector of taxes, both for Washington county and St. George city. Subsequently he was assessor and collector for the city. He continued to work as a carpenter, finishing his own house and his brother Edwin's before laying down hammer and plane and turning to. other pursuits. In June, 1872, he became clerk of the tithing store and several months later a clerk in the co-operative store. Then followed a mercantile partnership with his brother Edwin and with Daniel and Adam Seegmiller, the business of which he conducted until 1874. when it was sold to the St. George Co-operative mercantile institution, of which Mr. Woolley became superintendent. He was also assistant secretary of the United Order of St. George Stake, organized during the same year. In the intervals of these labors he found time to study law.

The discontinuance of the United Order gave the noted firm of Wooley Lund & Judd their opportunity. The personnel of this firm was originally as follows: Edwin G. Woolley, whose occupation has been stated; Robert C. Lund, telegraph operator at St. George, and Thomas Judd, tithing clerk in that city. These three, taking their cue from the "Order," on the 15th of October, 1875, associated themselves in business, with an agreement to turn all the property they possessed into the firm, excepting their homes and some land that would be of no special use to the firm, and to use their means and time for the benefit of the company, all salaries earned by the members to be the property of the firm, and each member to draw his living from the common resources. The possessions of the partners were about equal, and it was understood that they were to remain equal in every way. They carried on various branches of business, farming, stock-raising, exchange, agencies, etc., aud all was going swimmingly when at the April conference in 1876 the three were called on missions. This meant utter financial ruin as they were then situated, and President Young, after matters were explained to him, released Mr. Lund to remain at home and look after the business, while his partners fulfilled their missions.

Mr. Woolley spent about six months in the Eastern States. He attended the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, shook hands with President Grant at a public reception in Washington, D. C. heard Generals Sherman, Sheridan and Hooker at a reunion of the Army of the Cumberland in Philadelphia, and after visiting relatives in various parts, principally in Ohio, where he spent most of his time, set out for Utah about the middle of October. He was then holding the office of a Seventy, but was subsequently ordained a High Priest.

Early in 1878 Woolley, Lund & Judd, associated with Richard Bentley, opened a store at the Grand Gulch Copper mines in Arizona, seventy-five miles south of St. George. This venture, and the opening of a coal mine on Ash Creek, proved unsuccessful, but the firm retrieved its losses by establishing a flourishing mercantile business at St. George. During 1880-81 their business grew to considerable proportions. They took ore hauling contracts and other work at the Silver Reef mines and bought a two thirds interest in the firm of Liddle Brothers & Company, who were doing the principal business at the mines. Meantime Mr. Woolley had been elected city recorder 'of St. George and prosecuting attorney for Washington County. He had previously served as justice of the peace, as deputy sheriff, and in a number of other minor offices.

In the early part of 1881 Mr. Woolley was sent for by his father, Bishop Woolley, of Salt Lake City, who wished him to take the management of a lawsuit in which he was involved with some of the heirs of his brother, John M. Woolley, deceased. The son promptly responded, and after investigating the matter, prepared to fight the case up to the Supreme Court of the United States. The other side then made advances for a compromise, which was finally effected. Not long after the suit was settled, the aged Bishop sent again for Edwin G. to come and help him put his affairs in shape, as he felt death approaching.

In 1882, Mr. Woolley again went East, this time for rest and recreation, and spent some time at Sweet Springs, Missouri, where he met Senator Vest and had an interesting conversation with him on Utah affairs. At Richmond he visited David Whitmer, whom he described as "a tall, spare man, with white hair, worn somewhat long, of a pleasing address and kindly looking face, full of intelligence." He received his visitor kindly, though himself in feeble health, from the effects of a cyclone which had struck his house some time before. During the interview he reiterated his testimony as one of the witnesses to the Book of Mormon. Prior to leaving the Springs, Mr. Woolley had been asked by a certain physician from Philadelphia, to whom he had made known his intention of visiting David Whitmer, to find out from him what an angel looked like. Mr. Whitmer, on being told of this, smilingly said. "You may tell the doctor that angels don't have wings." Mr. Hughes, a banker of Richmond, declared to Mr. Woolley that David Whitmer was "a man of the strictest integrity and truthfulness, highly respected by all who knew him."

Mr. Woolley was an active member of the Constitutional Convention of 1882, and in August, 1883, he was elected a member of the Legislative Council. At the same time he was chosen Probate Judge of Washington County, to which office he was twice re-elected. In the fall of 1884, accompanied by his wife and two daughters, he attended the St. Louis Cattle Convention, and after it adjourned visited the New Orleans Exposition and other parts of the South. He sat in the Constitutional Convention of 1887, of which he was vice-president, and went with the other delegates to Washington to present the Constitution to Congress. During this visit he called upon President Cleveland. He returned in time to meet with the Legislature in January, 1888, having been re-elected to the Council.

In the spring of this year he removed with his family to Salt Lake City, to take charge of the wajron and implement business established here by Woolley, Lund & Judd. The business grew very fast, faster indeed than they could find capital with which to control it, being largely a credit system; and in December, 1889, it was closed out to the Cooperative Wagon and Machine Company at a great sacrifice.

Mr. Woolley continued to be active in politics. In 1889 ho was nominated by the People's Party for the Legislature, but was defeated by the Liberal candidate, Mr. C. E. Allen. As a central committee man of the People's Party for Salt Lake City, he participated in the great struggle which ended in the Liberal victory of February, 1890. In March of that year he was appointed by the Governor a member of the Board of Trustees of the Territorial Reform School, and re-appointed in 1892. At the time of the division on national party lines he took an active part in organizing the Democratic party in Salt Lake County, and was subsequently nominated by the Democrats for Selectman, but the Republicans carried the election.

Mr. Woolley had returned to Salt Lake City about the time of "the boom," and like many others became involved in the financial maelstrom, losing heavily as the result of extensive real estate purchases and the subsequent sudden and unexpected shrinkage in values. In August, 1893, he moved back to St. George, though his sons Gordon and Richard remained behind—the former as a newspaper reporter, and the latter as an employee of the Rapid Transit Railway Company. Their father assumed the management of the business of Woolley, Lund & Judd at St. George. Heavy losses at Silver Reef, Salt Lake City, and other places, with the failure of a grading contract on the Union Pacific Railway south of Milford, had reduced the firm's capital to a very low ebb. and the strictest economy and attention to business were now necessary.

On February 20. 1894, Edwin G. Woolley was appointed by President Cleveland to his old position of Probate Judge of Washington County. He held that place until January 13, 1896, when his term expired by act of the Constitution of the State of Utah, which abolished all such offices. Soon afterward he applied for admission to the bar of the Fifth District Court, at the February term, held in St. George, and was duly admitted after an examination in open court. It was not his purpose to practice law as a pleader, owing to a serious defect in his hearing, but in order to be able to look after business in the courts, he qualified himself in the manner stated. Since resuming again his residence in Salt Lake City he has been employed in the State Land Office, where he may be seen daily, working energetically, as is his wont.