Tuesday, April 7, 2015

One More Post about James Brooks Wasden

Grandpa Wasden's signature inside the cover of the L.D.S. Biographical Encyclopedia, Volume III.
The three volumes contain biographical sketches of "all faithful men and women who have devoted their lives to the establishment of the Church.  There were to be further volumes - Grandpa undoubtedly had this one because his biographical sketch is in it.
     Since the book is copyrighted (in1920), I don't know if it's permissible to copy verbatim, but I'll just include the main part of the biography.
  WASDEN, James Brooks, Bishop of the Penrose Ward (Big Horn Stake), Park county, Wyoming, was born July 16, 1870, at Scipio, Millard County, Utah, the son of John Brooks Wasden and Anna Sophia Olsen.  He was baptized in June 882, by Isaac Pierce; ordained a Deacon in 1882; ordained a Priest Jan. 1, 1898, by Bishop Christian A. Madsen of Gunnison, Sanpete county, Utah; ordained a Seventy March 16, 1898, by Jonathan G. Kimball; ordained a High Priest July 30, 1910, by Jesse W. Crosby Jr.; called to act as Bishop of the Penrose Ward, Big Horn Stake, in April, 1915, and ordained a Bishop May 23, 1915, by Apostle Rudger Clawson and set apart to preside over the Penrose Ward, which was then organized. He filled a mission to the Southern States, leaving Sale Lake City March 17, 1898, and returning April 6, 1900.  During this mission he labored principally in the Florida conference.  At home for fourteen years, he was engaged road building in the Yellowstone National Park; after his arrival in the Big Horn country in 1904, he has followed farming as his chief avocation.  (Note:  From other writings, he continued to work on Park roads for some years.)  He built the first house at Penrose.  Since 1905 he has acted as a director in the Elk Canal Company, was elected road supervisor for District No. 3, Park county, Wyoming in 1914, [Note:  Was part of his job directing the Good Roads Day in Penrose?]  He was re-elected in November 1916.  He also acted as superintendent of the Penrose Sunday school from the time of its organization, Dec 24, 1905 to Oct 19, 1913.  In 1898 (March 9th) Bro. Wasden married Tilda Christena Christensen of Gunnison, Sanpete county, in the Manti Temple; his wife has born him seven children (they are listed in the article.)
    This is pretty detailed, and clears up a few dates I had wondered about.  We are all a part of history, for sure.


2 comments:

Ann said...

Perfect. Thank you for going on a hunt.

Judy said...

My thoughts exactly.