Scope & Content Note
This collection contains papers and correspondence relating to various business affairs of John W. Young (1844-1924), son
of Brigham Young and Mary Ann Angell. John W. Young served as a member of the First Presidency of the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints prior to his father's death as well as being a counselor to the Quorum of the Twelve
Apostles. But John W. Young is better known for his business enterprises, mainly railroad construction. He was involved in
several railroad companies or railroad construction projects during the latter half of the 19th Century in Utah and throughout
the West.
This collection has three sections. The first deals with Young's business with, and complaints against, the Atlantic & Pacific Railroad Co. with whom Young contracted to grade and furnish timbers for their line running near the Mormon settlements in Arizona.
The second section contains papers and correspondence related to Young's acquisition of property in northern Mexico to aid Mormon settlement in that region. Most of the documents are legal papers related to the transfer of land or correspondence between Young and William Derby Johnson, who acted as Young's agent in acquiring the property. Most of the letters describe difficulties being experienced by Johnson due to young's failure to supply the necessary funds as stipulated in the contracts.
The last section is one letter from Young to G.W. Thatcher and John N. Pike regarding the establishment of the Utah Western Railway and other family and business matters. The entire collection covers a period from 1874 to 1889.
Conservation Note
All items have been placed in acid-free folders and boxes. Any additional conservation is noted in the register where the item
is described.
Processor: Victor Sorensen
Inventory of the Collection
Box 1 Atlantic & Pacific Railroad Co.
Fd 1 Contract between John W. Young and James M. Latta of the Atlantic & Pacific Railroad Co. (A.& P. R.R. Co.) detailing the conditions for the furnishing and delivery of 500,000 cross ties by Young to the A. & P. R.R. Co. line being constructed through New Mexico and Arizona Territories, 20 Oct. 1880, 8 pages hand written
Letter to J.M. Latta from J.W. Young in which Young agrees to furnish 4,000, 000 feet of bridge timbers for the A. & P. R. R. Co. , 17 Dec. 1880, 2 pages handwritten.
Letter to J.M. Latta from J.W. Young n which Young asks Latta to advance him $10,000 and informs him o f progress on work being performed, 25 July 1881, 3 pages handwritten.
Fd 2 Letter to John W. Young from Ezra D. Carpenter at Albuquerque, NM informing Young of problems on the construction site and requesting Young's presence to rectify the situation personally, letter contains a postscript from Rulon S. Wells, 17 Sept. 1881.
Letter to L. Spiegelberg, pres. Of the Second National Bank of New Mexico, from J.W. Young in Brigham City, 6 Dec. 1881.
Letter to J.W. Young form Rulon Wells in Brigham City describing problems with contractors and requesting Young's presence on the job, 22 Jan. 1882.
Letter to J.W. Young from Rulon Wells in Albuquerque, NM informing Young of business matters and Young' possessions in Arizona Territory, 5 June1882.
Letter to J.W. Young from Rulon Wells in Brigham City informing Young of business matters, violence in the region, and trade with Native Americans, 4 July 1882.
Letter to J.W. Young from Rulon Well describing train schedules and travel arrangements, 30 July 1882.
Fd 3 Examination of facts, and opinions submitted by Young's attorneys, John F. Dillon and Le Grand Young, regarding Young's grievances with the A. & P. R.R. Co., Jan. 1883, 8 pages typescript.
Fd 4 Affidavit of Brigham S. Yung regarding Young's grievances with the A. & P. R.R. Co., April 1883, 3 handwritten pages.
Affidavit of John w. Young stating that the amounts due to him by the A. & P. R.R. Co., are correct as calculated by himself and his bookkeeper Rulon S. Wells, June 1883, 1 handwritten page.
Affidavit of Rulon S. Wells regarding Young's grievances with the A. & P. R.R. Co., 2 handwritten pages.
Affidavit or deposition of John W. Young describing problems created by the line engineers and other delays which cost him money, 3 pages handwritten.
Compiled affidavits relating to John W. Young's complaint against the A.& P. R.R. Co. by Rulon S. Wells, M.P. Crandal, N.D. Crandal, R.A. Deal, F.A. Crandal, James M. Latta, M.M. Hammond, John W. Young, H.O. Hanson, J.W. Fox, J.N. Smith, Abraham F. Doremus, Wm. A. McCullough, Brigham S. Young, James S. Burke, Geo. P. Billings, Lot Smith, and Brigham Young Jr., also attached is a petition of H.S. Palmer, E.G. Cherry and others requesting the removal of Mr. Meeds as engineer of the project, 1883, 36 pages, mostly typescript.
Fd 6 Examination of facts and opinion submitted by J.A. Williamson, General Solicitor of the A.& P. R.R. Co. to Henry C. Nutt, pres. Of the A.& P. R.R. Co., regarding John W. Young's grievances with same, 6 Nov. 1883, 25 pages typescript.
Fd 7 Letter to H.C. Nutt and E.F. Winslow of the A. & P. R.R. Co. from J.W. Young's attorneys, Dillon & Swayne, informing them of actions being taken and offering a chance for settlement before filing suit, 9 Nov. 1883, 25 pages typescript.
Fd 8 Ledgers detailing expenses of the A. & P. R.R. Co. in account with John W. Young, 1882-1883, 4 handwritten sheets of paper.
Fd 9 Typescript draft of Young's complaint against the A. & P. R.R. Co., 30 pages, also a 6 page handwritten complaint.
Fd 10-11 Handwritten drafts of Young's complaint against the A. & P. R.R. Co., both exceeding 30 pages.
Fd 12 Memorandum of settlement and agreement between the First National Bank of Santa Fe, NM and John W. Young in which Young settles his accounts with the bank as well as his complaints with the A. & P. R.R. Co., 10 April 1884, 4 pages typescript.
Box 2 Mexican Land Purchases
Fd 1 Two documents describing the land around Corralitos, Mexico; one from the Corralitos Company, handwritten, describing attributes of land for sale; another entitled "Corralitos, Mexico: Extracts from an Expert's Report in 1882", describes physical features of the region, typescript.
Fd 2 Memorandum of Agreement between William S. Bolton, Josiah F. Crosby, and John W. Young re: purchase of 70,000 acres of land, terms of payment, and description of ht property, 23 & 25 Jan. 1889, 9 handwritten pages.
Fd 3 Document entitled "Special Letter of Attorney executed by Mr. John W. Young in favor of Mr. William Derby Johnson in relation to the Boca Grande, or Guzman Grant of Land", authorizing Wm. D. Johnson to act in Young's name to consummate the purchase of land in Mexico, 25 Jan. 1889, 10 pages.
Fd 4 Legal document in Spanish (17 handwritten pages) and its English translation (16 handwritten pages) detailing the transfer of land from Celso Gonzales to John W. Young through William d. Johnson, Feb. 1889.
Fd 5 Legal document in Spanish (15 handwritten pages) re: sale of 70,000 acres of land to William D. Johnson by Josiah F. Crosby, 18 feb. 1889 (cover re-sewn and reinforced).
Fd 6 Protest filed by David Price, notary public in New York, re: a check signed by William D. Johnson to Cruz Gonzales to be drawn upon John W. Young, 20 Feb. 1889; check to Cruz Gonzales for the sum of $5,198.84, 11 Feb. 1889; check made out in Spanish for the sum of $1,269.36 pesos in American gold to Celso Gonzales from John W. Young, 27 May 1889 (both checks have been encapsulated).
Fd 7 Incoming correspondence to J.W. Young from W.D. Johnson in El Paso, TX, 10 Feb. 1889, 6 pages.
Incoming correspondence to J.W. Young from W.D. Johnson in El Paso, TX, 27 Feb. 1889, 4 pages.
Fd 8 Incoming correspondence to J.W. Young from W.D. Johnson in El Paso, TX, 2 Mar. 1889, 4 pages.
Incoming correspondence to J.W. Young form W.D. Johnson in Deming, NM, 2 mar. 1889, 3 pages.
Fd 9 Incoming correspondence to J.W. Young from W.D. Johnson in El Paso, TX, 22 Mar. 1889, 7 pages.
Incoming correspondence to J.W. Young from W.D. Johnson in El Paso, TX, 3 April 1889, 4 pages.
Incoming correspondence to J.W. Young form W.D. Johnson in El Paso, TX, 8 April 1889, 5 pages.
Fd 10 Two telegrams to J.W. Young from W.D. Johnson requesting that funds be send immediately, 16 & 17 April 1889.
Fd 11 Letter to George W. Thatcher and John N. Pike form John W. Young regarding Young's business affairs in Utah, 6
Nov. 1874, 16 pages. The majority of the letter concerns construction of the Utah Western Railway which ran from Salt
Lake west into Tooele County. Young gives instructions regarding materials, routing, and property acquisition, especially
concerning the property of one Brother Clinton. He also inquires about his wives and family and gives instructions
concerning their maintenance. Other items discussed include donations to the St. George Temple, his interest in some iron
works (probably the Great Western Iron Mining and Manufacturing Co.), the establishment of the Utah Western Telegraph
Co., and the purchase of the steamer "City of Corinne" for the railway. Numerous references are made regarding an
associate named Heber, but no last name is given.