Archives West Finding Aid

Wilson Howard Dusenberry (1841-1925), was born on 7 April 1841, in Perry, Pike County, Illinois, to Mahlon Dusenberry and Aurilla Coray. Mahlon Dusenberry was born on 1 March 1808, in French town New Jersey; he came through Utah in July 1860 and settled in California; he died 22 August 1899, in Sacramento California. Aurilla was born 21 May 1831, at Easton Pennsylvania; she was the daughter of Silas Coray and Mary Stephens of Daville, New York. Aurilla came to Utah on 18 July 1860, with Captain Williams Company. She died 6 December 1884, and was buried in Provo. Wilson H. Dusenberry had 8 siblings, John, Mary Ann, Warren N., Silas, Martha Jane, William, George, and Albert. In Provo, on 4 December 1864, Dusenberry married Harriet Virginia Coray, daughter of Howard Coray and Martha Jane Knowlton of Daville, New York; she was born 13 August 1848, and died 6 June 1872. Harriet had four children: Charles Wilson, May, Blanche, and Harriet Virginia. In Salt Lake, on 25 November 1874, Dusenberry married Margaret Thompson Smoot, daughter of Abraham O. Smoot and Emily Hill of Provo; she was born on 27 August 1854 in Sugar House. Margaret had six children: Abraham Owen, Lorena, Ada, Cora, Eva, and Edith. Dusenberry died 20 March 1925.

Most of Wilson H. Dusenberry's life is linked with his elder brother, Warren N. Dusenberry; four of their brothers died in infancy or early childhood, brining the two boys closer together. Their father, Mahlon, was an excellent carpenter and cabinet maker and found his best employment in larger cities rather than in the unsettled west. California was Mahlon's objective, with the mother, Aurilla, desiring a Utah home for Church affiliations. The family went with the father to California, but returned to Provo, Utah, without the father.

Wilson married Harriet Virginia Coray, daughter of his mother's relatives. With Virginia, Dusenberry had four children. An infant, named for Harriet, died in 1872 soon after birth; Harriet died soon after. A strong friendship had been established with President Abraham O Smoot and his several families. In 1874 Wilson married Margaret Thompson Smoot, the daughter of Abraham O. and Emily Hill Smoot of Provo. They had one son, Abraham Owen Jr., and five daughters.

Adjusting to territorial conditions and needs, Wilson made teaching his major objective, but his ambitions as a teacher were greatly curtailed when the Dusenberry school was transferred to the Deseret University (now the University of Utah) management. He was disillusioned with the teaching prospects offered by the poorly financed schools. His family was growing and he needed means to assure their progress. He became Superintendent of Schools in Utah County from 1874 to 1880 and extended classroom teaching throughout his territory. He kept his interest in the new Brigham Young Academy (BYA, and now Brigham Young University or BYU) as a member of the Board of Trustees from 1883 to 1921, being secretary from 1887 to 1891 and secretary-treasurer from 1891 to 1915. In September 1876, Superintendent Wilson H. Dusenberry asked the County Court to visit Karl G. Maeser's Normal Class. On his recommendation, the Court agreed to provide tuition for twenty-six students to attend BYA. Three were from Provo, twenty-three from the rest of the County. This arrangement prevailed for a number of years.

Paralleling his other activities, Dusenberry was a member of the Provo City Council from 1872-1888, a period of sixteen years, and Mayor of Provo from 1882-1889. On 25 November 1873, during his council-ship, the Utah Southern Railroad came to Provo with a rollicking celebration in which Dusenberry was most active. In August 1873 the Provo Daily Times began publication. Being County Clerk added further to Dusenberry's duties and pay from 1875-1883. Encompassed in his busy schedule was his being a member of the State Legislature in 1880, 1882, and 1884, where he was chairman of the House Committee on Education. With his capacity for diversity of work, he was appointed cashier of the First National Bank of Provo from 1882-1891, with Abraham O. Smoot as President. In 1891 further confidence was placed in him when he became cashier of the Utah County Savings Bank from 1891-1901. Politics called him once more when he was appointed assistant postmaster of Provo from 1901-1913, concluding his work when he was seventy-two years old. He also made time to work in the auxiliaries of the LDS Church, and was made a member of the High Council in 1878.

In 1883 the Provo Theatre Company was organized from two former rival companies who preformed in Cluff's Hall: the Provo Amateur Dramatic Union and the Home Dramatic Company. Harvey H. Cluff was President, John J. Graham was a director, and Wilson H. Dusenberry was secretary-treasurer. This group built the Provo Opera House, and presented its first play, "The Streets of New York."

On 4 January 1883, the Academy burned down; Dusenberry, then the Mayor of Provo, called a City Council together and proposed a city fire department. As a result a committee soon reported that a hand-power fire engine could be obtained for $1,500. Authority was given to obtain the engine, but lack of funds and council cooperation put the matter off until 1890, when John E. Booth was Mayor. Proper action was taken and a $4,000 dollar La France engine was procured.

Time lessened Wilson's working enthusiasm and his health began to fail in his later years. He spent more time with his growing family and less with politics and business. One of his last activities, to keep his interest, was being a member of the Executive Board of the Brigham Young University. He helped its growth with enthusiasm and praise and openly expressed his desires for its increase in a degreed faculty and expanding curriculum.