Utah
Gov. John Christopher Cutler
- January 2, 1905 - January 4, 1909
- Republican
- February 5, 1846
- July 30, 1928
- Other
- Married Sarah Elizabeth Taylor; seven children
About
JOHN CHRISTOPHER CUTLER was born in Sheffield, England. His parents converted to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and moved to Utah when he was eighteen. Cutler became president of his family’s dry goods firm and served on the board of directors of a number of banks, insurance companies, and other businesses. He also served as clerk of Salt Lake County from 1884 to 1890. Winning the governorship in 1904, he founded a juvenile court system, promoted investment in local industry, advocated construction of a state capitol, and established registration of births and deaths by the state. Due to a split in the Republican Party that led anti-Mormon members to form an American Party, Cutler backed a less controversial candidate—William Spry—to succeed him as the Republican gubernatorial nominee in what became a successful effort to ensure that the party would retain control of the state house. He returned to his business ventures. In failing health, he committed suicide at the age of eighty-two.
Source
Sobel, Robert, and John Raimo, eds. Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States, 1789-1978, Vol. 4. Westport, CT: Meckler Books, 1978. 4 vols.
The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography, Vol. 13. New York: James T. White & Company.
Utah Death Certificate, Utah State Archives
Warrum, Noble, ed. Utah Since Statehood: Historical and Biographical. Chicago-Salt Lake: The S.J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1919. 3 vols. (Vol. I, pp. 135-149.)
“John C. Cutler, Ex-Governor of Utah, Is Dead,” Deseret News, July 30, 1928, p. 1 and 3, section 1, p. 4, section 2; “Former Governor Found Dying in Garage at Home,” Salt Lake Tribune, July 31, 1928, pp. 1-2.
