William Jennings

September 13, 1823 (age 62)

Yardley, England

A merchant and financier, Jennings has been described as "Utah"s first millionaire". He left school at the age of eleven and became an assistant to his sire. He immigrated to the United States in 1847. He worked as a butcher in New York, Ohio, and Missouri and encountered numerous financial problems. The newly married couple moved to Salt Lake City in Utah Territory in 1852. Career in Utah Jennings opened a butchery and tannery in Salt Lake City and later founded a successful mercantile business. In 1864, he had become so successful that he constructed an expensive building, the Eagle Emporium, and used it as the headquarters of his mercantile businesses. The state of his business at that time made Jennings a leading merchant west of the Mississippi River. His mansion, devereaux, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Jennings became the vice-president of the Utah Central Railroad Company after helping organize it in 1869 and became the president of the Utah Southern Railroad Company. In his later years he was a director for the Deseret National Bank. He was also involved in the Zions Cooperative Mercantile Institution, acting as superintendent on multiple occasions and as vice-president He was elected mayor of Salt Lake City in 1882 and served until 1885. He intended to run for a second term, but he was deemed ineligible under the Edmunds Acting because he was a polygamist. Jennings died in Salt Lake City and was buried in the Salt Lake City Cemetery.

William Jennings

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Background

Jennings was born in Yardley, England to a family which was wealthy in the butchering business.

Career

A merchant and financier, Jennings has been described as "Utah"s first millionaire". He left school at the age of eleven and became an assistant to his sire. He immigrated to the United States in 1847.

He worked as a butcher in New York, Ohio, and Missouri and encountered numerous financial problems.

The newly married couple moved to Salt Lake City in Utah Territory in 1852. Career in Utah

Jennings opened a butchery and tannery in Salt Lake City and later founded a successful mercantile business.

In 1864, he had become so successful that he constructed an expensive building, the Eagle Emporium, and used it as the headquarters of his mercantile businesses. The state of his business at that time made Jennings a leading merchant west of the Mississippi River.

His mansion, devereaux, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Jennings became the vice-president of the Utah Central Railroad Company after helping organize it in 1869 and became the president of the Utah Southern Railroad Company. In his later years he was a director for the Deseret National Bank. He was also involved in the Zions Cooperative Mercantile Institution, acting as superintendent on multiple occasions and as vice-president

He was elected mayor of Salt Lake City in 1882 and served until 1885.

He intended to run for a second term, but he was deemed ineligible under the Edmunds Acting because he was a polygamist. Jennings died in Salt Lake City and was buried in the Salt Lake City Cemetery.

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