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L. Douglas Smoot - President of the Abraham O. Smoot Family Organization

Invitation to all descendants to celebrate 200 years since his birth.

2015 A. O. Smoot Reunion Information

Dates and Events
When: Oct 6-10, 2015 - BYU Home Coming Week

Where: BYU, Provo, Utah and Surrounding area.

What: A. O. Smoot Reunion

Who: All Family Invited 

The following items coming:

1. The A. O. Smoot history presented by Anna Smoot Taylor at our 1978 reunion.  Coming.

Abraham Owen Smoot Documentary and Tribute

NEW book October 2015
Abraham Owen Smoot - His life and service in Provo

Celebrating the bicentennial birthday anniversary of A.O. Smoot

     Chapter 1 - Coming to Provo

    Chapter 2 - Smoot family establishes homes in Provo

    Chapter 3 - Abraham Owen Smoot, President of Utah Stake of Zion


    Chapter 4 - Mayor Abraham Owen Smoot, Development of Provo

BY Academy Square Building

Journey to Temple Hill: The BYU Story

Journey to Temple Hill - Published on Oct 6, 2012

"Journey to Temple Hill: The Brigham Young University Story" is a historical documentary about BYU's founding and early history.The program was produced by BYU University Communications in conjunction with the L. Tom Perry Special Collections at the Harold B. Lee Library.

The documentary draws upon interviews with past and current BYU presidents, historians, faculty and with descendants of BYU founders to describe the university's establishment and the challenges faced in its first three decades. (note: this includes L. Douglas Smoot and Loretta Nixon of the Abraham Owen Smoot Committee.)

Established in 1875, the university began as the Brigham Young Academy, housed in a single building on Provo Center Street. After a fire destroyed the building in 1884, the academy founders and faculty struggled to keep the institution alive, often going without salaries for months at a time.

In 2012, BYU marked the 100th anniversary of construction of the Karl G. Maeser Building, the first building on upper BYU campus on a piece of land known as "Temple Hill."

The documentary includes rare historical footage, photos and interviews with past BYU presidents Elder Dallin H. Oaks and Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Elder Merrill J. Bateman, emeritus general authority of the Church of Jesus Christ, as well as current BYU President Cecil O. Samuelson, also an emeritus general authority, are also featured.

Actor and theatre professor Rodger Sorensen, associate dean of the BYU College of Fine Arts and Communications, portrays Karl G. Maeser, BYU's spiritual and academic architect. The contributions of Abraham O. Smoot, first president of BYU's Board of Trustees, who sacrificed his own personal wealth to sustain the institution, are also highlighted.

The program includes original recordings of early academy students Eva Maeser Crandall, daughter of Karl G. Maeser, and Bryant Hinckley, one of Maeser's students and father of the late President Gordon B. Hinckley.

Karl Miller, who is seen in photos from the 1908 Maeser Building groundbreaking, also shares his unprecedented personal perspective in an interview that was recorded before his death in 2008. The 104 year-old Miller, who attended Brigham Young High and BYU and then worked on campus for his entire professional career, describes the groundbreaking on an area known as "Temple Hill," where the Maeser Building was constructed.

"It was a glorious day for all of us to see something in the future," recounts Miller. "We had no idea it would ever be a university like it is today."

Production support for"Journey to Temple Hill" was provided through the LDS Motion Picture Studio. It was produced and directed by Julie Walker with director of photography Brian Wilcox. The project was edited by BYU students Sarah Butler, Mark Gillins and Seth Estrada. Sam Cardon provided the original musical score.

"Journey to Temple Hill," is an expanded version of a documentary shown in the Gordon B. Hinckley Building Alumni and Visitors Center,

Brigham Young University is one of the world's largest private church-owned universities. For more information about BYU, see byu.edu.

A limited number will be available
for sale at the reunion.

Title: Abraham Owen Smoot - A testament of his life
Author - Loretta D. Nixon & L. Douglas Smoot
BUY

A limited number will be available
for sale at the reunion.

Title: The miracle at academy square
Author: L. Douglas Smoot

This new book will be for sale at the reunion.

New Book Coming at the reunion
ABRAHAM OWEN SMOOT - His life and service in Provo
L. Douglas Smoot, editor
Authors: D. Robert Carter (2 chapters), Loretta Nixon (2 chapters), Daily Herald (1 Chapter), L Douglas Smoot (3 chapters)
PRE-ORDERING COMING!!!

BY Academy and Provo Tabernacle

In 1882, for the first time, the church set up a normal fund for the Academy, with $400 for tuition for training teachers.  During the years following Brigham Young’s death in 1877, the Academy continued to grow and they recruited from the very large Utah Territory.  In 1883, the Academy had 402 registered students.  By 1884, the Academy had students from what would become seven surrounding states.

But, on January 27, 1884 the Lewis Building, on Third West and Center Street, caught fire and was destroyed.  Much of the furniture, organ, musical instruments, the library and physical apparatus was saved.  Financial loss was at least $15,000.  The Young Women’s Journal said:

Of all who gazed on that sad spectacle that night, there was no heavier, sadder heart than that of its foster-father, A.O. Smoot.  The Institution had grown into his very heart of hearts, and to see the results of years of toil and hard-earned blessings blazing on the altar of sacrifice, wilted his feelings to the uttermost…  With steady courage he calmed the fears and murmurs of excited pupils, raised the fallen hopes of [the] crushed principal, infused life and energy into the board and faculty, and with the loss of only one day, the school resumed its session, and BY Academy went bravely on with its work.

Quick assignments were made to hold classes in the Provo Tabernacle, the Smoot bank building and the Jones furniture store and school reopened, missing only one day.  But enrollment slackened and financial stress increased.  Within a year, classes were moved to the church-owned ZCMI warehouse on 500 South Academy (University) Avenue, where all of the upper floor and half of the lower floor were used.

At the same time, the Board of Trustees, with encouragement from President John Taylor, decided to build a new academy building on Fifth North and Academy Avenue.  President John Taylor assigned $5000 of Church funds toward the erection of a new building.  In April 1884, using some of the money advanced by the Church, $1300 was paid toward the price of the land which cost $4,800.  Land was purchased and the foundations were dug and completed by October of 1884.  But by 1885, enrollment had declined and lack of funds caused the work on a new academy building to be halted indefinitely.

Additional challenges resulted from the involvement of heirs of Brigham Young who held visitational and veto rights, together with control and management of academy property.  This made administration more complicated and obtaining private donations was more difficult.

This arrangement was dramatically changed in November, 1890 when Brigham’s heirs gave full authority to President Abraham O. Smoot and the Board of Trustees for all aspects of Academy administration.  This led to new life in the Academy and the Board of Trustees immediately moved forward to complete the Academy Building. 

Architect Joseph Don Carlos Young, Brigham’s son, completed the design of the Academy Building.  The Board of Trustees borrowed substantially more money with several board members signing personal guarantees, particularly A.O. Smoot. A.O. Smoot endorsed $65,000 in BY Academy notes, outstanding against his name, with interest up to 12%.  These were all for the Academy and likely for the building.  Also H.H. Child, Harvey H. Cluff, David John and Wilson Dusenberry signed personal guarantees.   

The total cost of the Academy Building was about $100,000.  In 1893 (during this period of loan guaranteeing), A.O. said to his wife: Anne, I haven’t a piece of property that is not mortgaged.  I have had to do it to raise money to keep the Brigham Young Academy going.  That was given to me as a mission and I would sooner lose all than to fail in fulfilling this responsibility.  I love that school and I can see what it means to our youth to have a spiritual as well as book learning.  It must live.

Construction resumed in early 1891 and was completed in late 1891.  It was dedicated by George Q. Cannon, a member of the First Presidency, on January 4, 1892.  President Wilford Woodruff, A.O. Smoot, Karl Maeser and others spoke.  This beautiful building was said to provide the Best Education and Accommodations in the Territory, and was critical to the survival and growth of the BY Academy[1]. 

President A.O. Smoot, who conducted the dedicatory services, said on this occasion:  My heart swells with gratitude as I look upon this assemblage.  I have been watching the academy since its commencement and its reverses and successes.  I have taken an almost fatherly concern in it.  Its graduates are known throughout all Utah and its surroundings.  The prospect for the academy is very flattering for the future.  The old walls of the academy were very dear to me.  The old walls will be remembered with gratitude by many a Brigham Young Academy student.  We are prepared to accommodate 600 students.  We have the furniture and all the appliances.  We feel that the present academic year will not close with less than that number.  I ask the people here today not for their gold and silver, but for their faith and assistance.  I have spent many a sleepless night for the academy.  I feel confident that the success of the Brigham Young Academy is assured.  It will never go backward but onward [Applause.] My association with Dr. Maeser has not been limited.  I have spent many an hour with him and feel that in his retirement he has a greater field of usefulness in which to labor.  May his mantle fall upon his successor, Benjamin Cluff, with becoming dignity.

An early photograph shows the BY Academy Building as it appeared on Founders’ Day in 1900, about eight years after its dedication.  Three years later, the BY Academy became Brigham Young University and Academy Avenue became University Avenue.

The Brigham Young Academy on Founders’ Day in 1900

BY Academy Building. Built under the direction of A.O. Smoot, BY Academy Board of Trustees President, (1875-1895). Started 1884, dedicated – 1892. When the roll of honor is read of the names who have made the Academy what it is today, second only to the illustrious name of its founder, Brigham Young, will stand the name and fame of Abram O. Smoot (Joseph F. Smith)

Provo Tabernacle. Built under the direction of Utah Stake President, A.O. Smoot, (1868-1895). Started 1883, dedicated 1898. President A.O. Smoot said (Sept. 1, 1889, Utah Stake Conference) I hope to live to see the Tabernacle completed and ornamented with an organ and beautiful as a house of worship but I don’t know whether I will or not.

Provo City Center Temple Dec 2014 (see more)

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[1] This Academy Building, after being sold by the Church in 1978, was abandoned and in terrible disrepair; but it was beautifully preserved and expanded (1995-2001) at the cost of about 24 million dollars and currently houses the Provo City Library at Academy Square

Summary of Abraham Owen Smoot Reunions and Other Events

L. Douglas Smoot

It will be included in the book titled: 

ABRAHAM OWEN SMOOT - His life and service in Provo

No	Date	Event	Location	Other Notes (attendees, quotes)
1.	1895	BYA Founder’s Day	Provo	Joseph E. Taylor quote “…the credit for the prosperous condition of this Academy today is largely due to Abraham O. Smoot”
2.	1912	Smoot Family Reunion	Saratoga	Family Photograph; with Diana Eldredge Smoot
3.	1923	Smoot Family Reunion	__	From Preface, Abraham Owen Smoot, L.D. Nixon and L. D. Smoot, 1994
4.	1932	BYU Founder’s Day, honoring A.O. Smoot	__	James E. Talmage (1876 Academy Student) “President Smoot accomplished a work which to one of inferior qualifications or of weaker devotion would have been impossible”
5.	1951	BYU Founder’s Day, honoring A.O. Smoot	__	John C. Swenson (1886 Academy Student) said “…it became customary for students to march to the home of A.O. Smoot and salute him on his birthday…as a gesture of their appreciation for his leadership and his devotion to the Academy”
6.	October, 1962	Dedication of Abraham O. Smoot Administration Building	BYU Campus	Designer – Henry P. Fetzer Dedicated by
7.	June 3, 1978	Smoot Family Reunion (printed program)	BYU Campus	Family Photograph, (ELWC East Ballroom, ca. 340), Reunion Meeting, Family Meeting/Family History, Children’s Program, Banquet (12:30pm – 7:30pm)
8.	June 25, 1983	Smoot Family Reunion (printed program)	BYU Campus	ELWC Ballroom, 19 AO Smoot child representatives, 12:30 – 7:30pm; campus tours, family history report, workshop, refreshments, artifacts, A.O., Margaret histories, children’s program, photographs, children descendants reception, banquet, Vivian McKay, genealogist, 450 attendees, two-day reunion
9.	1994	BYU Founder’s Day honoring A.O. Smoot	BYU Campus	Completion of A.O. Smoot book, (Nixon, Smoot); dedication of A.O. Smoot Building Display Case; Family Reunion; Campus Devotional(Margaret Smoot speaker) Parade (with Doug on horse); Loretta Nixon, genealogist – events over homecoming week
10.	2001	Re-dedication of Preserved BY Academy Building – Provo City Library at Academy Square	Academy Building	Seven Year Project, 24 million dollars; Elder Jeffery Holland dedicated; Academy Building Wing named for A.O. Smoot. Book (Miracle at Academy Square, Doug Smoot, 2003) photograph of dedication services (over 400 in attendance)
11.	2003	Dedication of Smoot Hall – BY Academy Building (Replica of Lewis Building, West Center Street in Provo – destroyed by fire 1884)	This is the Place Heritage Park, Emigration Canyon	Stanley/Mary Ellen Smoot provided funds for this restoration project and  sponsored Family reunion dinner at Park following dedication (ca. 200 attendees)
12.	2006	Re-dedication of Smoot Display, Abraham Owen Smoot Administration Building	BYU Campus Smoot Building	Expansion of Display – Use of Nixon/Smoot book, Personal Life, foster-father of Academy. Family paid cost. Photo
13.	2011	Decade anniversary of re-dedication of BY Academy Building in 2001.	Provo City Library at Academy Square	Banquet, speakers. ca 200 attendees
14.	October, 2015	Family Reunion – Bi-centennial Anniversary of Abraham Owen Smoot’s birth, 17 February 1815, Owenton, Kentucky	BYU Campus, with BYU Founder’s Day – honoring A.O. Smoot	BYU Campus devotional, campus/city tours of A.O. Smoot sites, Family meeting, artifacts display, sales, eight article series on A.O. Smoot in the Daily Herald, new book on A.O. Smoot’s life and service in Provo, Family dinner, family meeting, photograph. New: aosmoot.blogspot.com to coordinate invitations and communications.

                                                                                               

#11 this is where the A. O. Smoot video was shown during a luncheon given at the Grand America Hotel.  Copies are or were available at This is the Place Heritage Park.