Microfilm of James W. LeSueur's autobiography, completed in 1929. LeSueur includes anecdotes about his childhood, including witnessing the shooting death of Nathan Tenney (which he mistakenly dates to 1884 instead of 1882) and a trip to Fort Bridger, Wyoming, with his father. He includes some genealogy before recounting his mission to Leeds from 1898-1900 and his visit to the family's ancestral home on the Isle of Guernsey. Much of the volume relates to his business activities, including his work at the St. Johns Co-op and his work in stonecutting and land dealing in Mesa, with detailed accounts of his business accounts and savings. He also writes of his work on the Salt Lake Temple and of a situation in which he was accused of "dealing unfairly" with a widow in a land case, although he was ultimately cleared of any wrongdoing. Portions of the autobiography are partially illegible. All inquiries about this item should be directed to the H. Russell Smith Curator of Western Historical Manuscripts at the Huntington Library, San Marino, CA. Microfilm. San Marino, Calif. : Huntington Library Photographic Dept., 1948. 1 microfilm reel : negative 35 mm. Forms part of the Manuscripts Department's Mormon file, c.1805-1995. James W. LeSueur (1878-1948) was born in Montpellier, Idaho, in 1878. When he was an infant his family moved to Maricopa County, Arizona. James attended Brigham Young Academy in 1894, took summer school courses at UC Berkeley in 1904, and later attended business courses at BYU in Provo. From 1898-1900 he served on a mission to Leeds, England. He spent most of his life living in Mesa, Arizona, and was stake president for Maricopa until 1926. He also worked on the Salt Lake Temple in the late 1920s. LeSueur died in Mesa in 1948.
LeSueur, James W., 1878-1948 Salt Lake Temple Land use--Arizona Mormon missionaries--England Mormon pioneers Mormons--Arizona--History--19th century Arizona--History--1912-1950 1929 Autobiographies Arizona 20th century. (aat)
Source
Mormon Manuscripts at the Huntington Library Mormonism and the West, Huntington Digital Library
Provenance
Microfilm of original loaned by Mr. LeSueur through Augusta Flake, December 29, 1947.
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