DAVID K. UDALL, 1851-1938

University of Arizona Library Manuscript Collection
MS 294

David K. Udall--1885

On September 7, 1851, David King Udall was born in Saint Louis, Missouri to David and Eliza King Udall, emigrants who had moved to Utah from their native England. Udall spent his childhood growing up in Nephi, Utah and as a young man married Eliza Luella (Ella) Stewart (1855-1937) of Kanab, Utah, the daughter of Bishop Levi Stewart. From 1875-1877, Udall traveled to England to labor there on his first mission for the Mormon Church. Returning to Utah, he moved to Kanab in 1878 where he engaged in business activities with his wife's family.

Ordained as a Bishop in June 1880, Udall was called to lead a colony of Mormons to Saint Johns, a small settlement of Americans and New Mexican Hispanics in northeastern Arizona Territory. There he engaged in a wide variety of activities to provide for the development of the community and his homestead. He married his plural wife, Ida Frances Hunt (1858-1915), the daughter of Bishop John Hunt of Snowflake, Arizona, in 1882.

Jailed on a false perjury charge in 1885, he returned to serve his community by developing better roads, contracting a mail service, establishing a local school, and representing the area as a member of the 20th Territorial Legislature. Until his death in 1938, David K. Udall, together with his wife Ella, served his church in Arizona in many capacities including the positions of President of St. Johns Stake and President of the Arizona Temple in Mesa.

His children by Ella were Stewart, Pearl, Erma, Mary, Luella, David, Levi, Paul, and Rebecca. His children with Ida were Pauline, Grover, John, Jesse, Gilbert and Don.

For additional information on David King Udall's life, see the following book, NOW ONLINE:

Arizona Pioneer Mormon: David King Udall, his story and his family, 1851-1938

Finding Aid to the David K. Udall Papers at the University of Arizona Library

Career Chronology

Journals

Selected Images

Other Web Sites To Visit
 

Morris K. Udall Home Page
Stewart L. Udall Home Page
Jesse A. Udall Home Page
Levi S. Udall Home Page
The Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy
The Morris K. Udall Foundation