Gov. Henry Hooper Blood

The first Utah governor to occupy the current Governor’s Mansion (donated in 1937), HENRY HOOPER BLOOD was born in Kaysville, Utah and attended Brigham Young College (later University). In addition to becoming involved in the mercantile business, he was elected City Recorder of Kaysville in 1893, was Davis County Treasurer from 1896 to 1900, was appointed Minute Clerk of the Utah State Senate in 1901, and was a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in England from 1901 to 1904. Upon returning to the United States, he became manager of the Kaysville Milling Company and was involved as well in buying and selling grain and flour. Kaysville Milling was eventually consolidated with Layton Milling and Elevator Company, of which he later became president. He also held membership on the Davis County School Board, the Public Utilities Commission, and the State Road Commission, of which he was selected chairman in 1925. Serving as governor during the Great Depression, Blood adhered to a “pay-as-you-go” philosophy, and during his two terms in office, Utah’s debt declined by nearly 75 percent. In addition, the state adopted a two-percent sales tax during his administration. Given almost exclusive authority to handle relief for Utah during the Depression, he worked closely with federal officials to secure Civilian Conservation Corps and Works Progress Administration projects for the state. In 1941 he was called by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to serve as  president of the California Mission, a position that he held until his death the following year.