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 John R. Winder LDS Biographical Encyclopedia, Andrew Jenson, Vol. 1, p.244-246 Winder, John Rex, second counselor to Presiding Bishop Wm. B. Preston since 1886, was born at Biddenden, county of Kent, England, Dec. 11, 1820. He received a very limited education, and when about twenty years of age, he went to London, where he obtained a situation in a West End shoe store; he married Ellen Walters Nov. 24, 1845. Nearly two years later he went to Liverpool, where he resided the next five years. One day in July, 1848, while in the store, he picked up a small piece of paper, a fragment of a torn-up letter, on which were written the words "Latter-day Saints." He wondered what it meant, for he had never seen or heard the name before. He asked one of the clerks about it, and was told that there was a church in America by that name, that they were called Mormons, that they had a Prophet named Joseph Smith and that there was a branch of the Church that held meetings in the Music Hall, Bold Street, Liverpool. "This," says Bishop Winder, "was the first I ever heard of the Latter-day Saints or Mormons. I went to their meeting, crept up a back stairs and peeped through the banisters. Elder Orson Spencer was preaching on the first principles of the gospel. I thought he knew I was there, for every word he said, seemed to be expressly for my benefit. I began to examine into the principles taught, soon became convinced of their truth and was baptized Sept. 20, 1848, by Elder Thomas D. Brown. On the 15th of the following month my wife was baptized by Apostle Orson Pratt. We were associated with the Liverpool branch until February, 1853, when we left for Salt Lake City, sailing on the ship 'Elvira Owen.' We had three children living and one dead, two of the former being twin daughters, then about four months old. When about ten days out from Liverpool, I was taken down with the smallpox, having caught it from a child who brought it on board at starting and was in the next apartment of the ship. I was the first to discover it. Soon, however, five others were found to have the disease. A small house was built on deck and we were all quarantined. Thus my wife was left with her twin babes to care for, without my assistance, and this was no small task on ship-board. A few days later, in the evening about nine o'clock, Brother William Jones, a young man lying next to me, died, and in a short time the sailors took him out and cast him into the sea. As I lay there pondering over the situation, I heard the sailors say, 'we will have him next,' meaning me, I did not believe what they said. I had a living faith that I would recover and get to Zion. There were only five cases on board and only one death." Arriving at Keokuk, Iowa via New Orleans and St. Louis, Elder Winder, who had fully recovered his health, joined Joseph W. Young's company, and with his family crossed the plains, arriving at Salt Lake City on the 10th of October, 1853. Soon after his arrival there he engaged in business with Samuel Mulliner in the manufacture of saddles, boots and shoes, and also in conducting a tannery. In 1855 he entered into partnership with William Jennings, proprietor of the Meat Market Tannery and manufacturer of boots, shoes, saddles, harness, etc. He continued in this business until after the return from "The Move," in July, 1858. Prior to this he had become prominent as a military man, having joined the Nauvoo Legion in 1855. He was captain of a company of lancers, and was in Echo Canyon during the fall and winter of 1857-58, being left with fifty men to guard the canyon and its approaches after [p.245] Johnston's army had gone into winter quarters at Fort Bridger and General Wells and Colonel Burton had returned to the city. Matters having quieted down, he was relieved of vidette duty about Christmas time, Major H. S. Beatie taking his place at "Camp Weber." Soon again, however, he was in the saddle. On the 8th of March, 1858, he raised eighty-five mounted men and accompanied General George D. Grant through Tooele county and on to the Great Desert, in pursuit of a band of Indians, who had stolen a large number of horses from settlers in Tooele. The pursuing party was caught in a storm on the desert, lost the trail of the Indians and returned to Salt Lake City, soon after which Captain Winder was called with a company of men to take charge of the defenses in Echo canyon. He remained there until peace was declared. Having dissolved partnership with William Jennings, Mr. Winder formed another partnership with President Brigham Young and Feramorz Little, and built a tannery on Parley's Canyon creek. While engaged in this business, he purchased his present home, Poplar Farm, and commenced farming and stock raising, pursuits in which he has always taken great delight. When the native bark for tanning became scarce, and they were unable to compete with importations, the tanning business was suspended. During the three years—1865-67—Captain Winder was engaged in the Blackhawk Indian war in Sanpete county, part of the time as aid to General Wells, and in 1868 he collected and made up the accounts of the expenses of the war, amounting to $1,100,000. This claim was submitted to Congress by Delegate William H. Hooper, but has never yet been paid. In 1870, John R. Winder was appointed assessor and collector of Salt Lake City, which position he held for fourteen consecutive years. He served three terms in the city council, from 1872 to 1878. In 1884 he resigned as assessor and collector and was appointed water master of the city, occupying that position until April, 1877, when he retired from it to enter upon his labors as second counselor to Presiding Bishop Wm. B. Preston, to which office he was set apart on the 25th of that month, by President George Q. Cannon and Apostle Franklin D. Richards. In April, 1892, when the great Salt Lake Temple was approaching completion (the design being to finish the structure and have it ready for dedication in April, 1893, forty years from the time of its inception), Bishop Winder was given special charge of the work of completion, and discharged that duty with characteristic energy and zeal. He was a liberal donor to the fund which met the heavy expenses entailed by the work, and after the dedication was appointed and set apart, in May, 1893, as first assistant to Pres. Lorenzo Snow, in charge of the Temple. That position he still holds. During the dedication ceremonies president Joseph F. Smith referred in terms of great commendation to the faithful, persistent and efficient labors of Bishop Wintier in his superintendency of the sacred edifice, and pronounced a blessing upon him for time and all eternity. For many years prior to these later appointments, Bishop Winder held important ecclesiastical positions. In 1854 he was ordained a Seventy, and in 1855 became one of the presidents of the 12th quorum of Seventy. March 4th, 1872, he was ordained a High priest by presiding Bishop Edward Hunter and was set apart to take charge of the Fourteenth Ward, Salt Lake City, during the absence of Bishop Thomas Taylor on a mission. He subsequently acted for a season as Bishop Taylor's first counselor. In April, 1872, he became a member of the High Council of the Salt Lake Stake of Zion. In addition to the secular offices previously mentioned, he has held the following positions: Lieutenant-Colonel, First Regiment Cavalry, Nauvoo Legion; United States Gauger in the Internal Revenue Department, and a director since 1856 in the Deseret Agricultural and Manufacturing Society. He was a member of one of the early Constitutional conventions held in Utah. During the old political regime, he was for a long time chairman of the Territorial and County Central committees of the people's party. He was a director in the Utah Iron Manufacturing Company, and is now a Director in the Utah Sugar Company; also in the more recently established Ogden Sugar Company. He is president of the Deseret Investment company, a director in Z. C. M. I., in the Deseret National Bank and in the [p.246] Deseret Savings Bank. He was vice-president of the Pioneer Electric Company, and is now president and director in the Union Light and Power Company. As may well be imagined, Colonel Winder's life has been a most busy and withal a very useful one. He is a walking encyclopedia of general information on Utah affairs, much of which pertains to times fast passing beyond the memory of the oldest inhabitant. In business he is known as a "rustler." He is sensitive, quick to think, speak and act, but when not burdened with care is full of jovial good nature. Honorable in his dealings, successful in his undertakings, he is eminently a good citizen, devoted to his religion and to the general interests of the people of the State. His first wife, Mrs. Ellen Walters Winder, a faithful and amiable companion, died November 7, 1892. She was the mother of ten children, six of whom are living. On the 28th of October, 1893, Bishop Winder married his present wife, also an estimable lady, who was Miss Maria Burnham, of Fruitland, New Mexico. By a former wife, now dead, to whom he was united in marriage in 1856, he is the father of ten children, all living. At the advanced age of eighty years, Bishop Winder is in good health, active in the Performance of his duties, and seems to enjoy life as much as he did in the days of his youth and prime.—Orson F. Whitney. |
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