The papers consist of the records of Schroeder's Utah law practice, 1889-1901, and a
portion of his collections on Mormonism; and they include correspondence, legal
documents, financial records, clippings, scrapbooks, military records, ledgers, a letter
book and printed circulars, notices, and leaflets. They are available both in original
paper form and on microfilm. They are arranged in two series: Personal Papers, and
Collections on Mormonism.
Series 1: Personal Papers
This series consists of correspondence, 1890-1901, legal papers, 1855-1900, financial
records, 1891-1900, and memorabilia relating to Schroeder's personal life, his law
practice, and his extensive collecting efforts. The correspondence, arranged
chronologically, deals chiefly with four aspects of Schroeder's career: (1) the routine
legal cases of his practice (the bulk of this type is with the R. G. Dun & Co. of
New York and California, and occurs mainly in the early years, 1890-1893); (2) his more
significant legal involvements such as his work with the League for Social Service and
the efforts to exclude B. H. Roberts from Congress, 1899-1901; (3) his collecting
efforts, 1894-1901; and (4) his political activities, such as when he sought appointment
as U.S. Attorney for Utah in 1893. In addition to routine legal letters, chief
correspondents include Josiah Strong (Box 1, Folders 3 & 4) and The Presidency of
the Mormon Church (Box 1, Folder 3). Other correspondents worth noting are William
Jennings Bryan, August 31, 1894; and James E. Talmage, October 26, 1897.
The legal and financial records are also arranged chronologically. The fragmentary
financial papers consist of receipts, bills, mining stock certificates, and a
“Settlement of Partnership Business” between Frank B. Stephens and T. A.
Schroeder. The legal documents include briefs, petitions, complaints, reports of
proceedings, summonses, and transcripts which are separated into two folders, pre-1889
and post-1889 (Box 1, Folders 5 & 6), because it was not possible to determine which
of the older documents were actually part of Schroeder's case files and which he simply
collected because they pertained to Mormonism. The records on the case of Grant Soap
versus Brigham City Mercantile (Box 1, Folder 7) are separate because of their unity and
completeness.
Series 2: Collections on Mormonism
This series consists of clippings, correspondence, a letter book, scrapbooks, printed
matter, and miscellaneous handwritten notes and writings, 1841-1900, arranged
alphabetically by folder and chronologically within each folder, and relating to various
aspects of Mormonism. The bulk of the correspondence appears to be the Cobb family
papers, 1841-1897, collected by James T. Cobb of Salt Lake City in the 1880's including
letters recording his efforts to collect information on Mormon history, but relating
primarily to Cobb's mother[?], Augusta Adams Cobb, who was divorced by her husband,
Henry Cobb, in Boston in 1846, on grounds of “the crime of adultery with one
Brigham Young” at Nauvoo. There are letters from various members of the family and
former neighbors, addressed to Augusta during the course of her move from Massachusetts
to Utah. Included also are many “coppys” and apparent originals of letters
that she wrote to Brigham Young, in which she lamented her state of affairs, begged for
favors, reproached him for unfair treatment, and engaged in pious utterances. Some or
all of the “unidentified” correspondence (Box 2, Folder 3) and the
“letters to Brigham Young” (Box 2, Folder 2) may actually be part of the
Cobb family papers, but positive identification was not possible. A few letters in the
“unidentified” folder were probably written to Brigham Young; they are
addressed variously as “My Lord,” “Dear Proxy,”
“Rabbi,” and “My Dear Lord.” Augusta Cobb addressed some letters
to Young in that fashion, but positive identification of the unsigned letters was not
possible, as there are differences in handwriting and a few of the letters have the
signature, date, and address torn off.
The correspondence in Box 2, Folder 4 and the Major General's Record Book relate to
matters of military organization and preparedness, such as militia drill, musters,
supplies and reports on combating Indian activity, for the Great Salt Lake District of
the Nauvoo Legion, including reports from Heber City and Fort Gunnison.
The George F. Gibbs Letterbook, 1871-1873, pertains to the missionary labors in England
of Brigham Young's secretary, and contains information on emigration from England to
Utah.
The Patriarchal Blessings Book, 1845-1846, contains copies of 121 blessings given by
William Smith, brother of Joseph Smith, at Nauvoo, Illinois. It also includes copies of
two blessings given in 1841 by Hyrum Smith, another brother of Joseph, and one given in
1838 by Joseph Smith, Sr., the prophet's father. Enclosed in the book is a draft copy of
a letter, 1849, April 1, composed by William Smith, in which he addresses himself to
“The Brethren” concerning “the order of arrangements” with
himself as Joseph's successor.
The items in Notes and Writings could be Schroeder's work, but are not positively
identified as such. They deal with various aspects of Mormon history, are undated, and
are for the most part fragmentary.
Directory of Polygamists, undated, is a small alphabetical directory of polygamous
families, perhaps compiled by Schroeder, listing addresses, church ward, and in some
cases number of wives. It is entitled “No. 2 Polygamy.”
Printed Circulars, Leaflets, Notices, and Petitions deal primarily with polygamy and
Utah statehood.
Brigham Young's Will, 1877-1879, consists of mounted clippings and handwritten copies
of legal documents (cut from pages of a ledger) relating to the execution of Brigham
Young's will (died August 29, 1877); from the complaint brought in 1879 by plaintiff
Emeline A. Young, a daughter, through the order for injunction and recovery, the answer
of the defendants (the executors), the contempt proceedings against the executors, the
imprisonment of the executors (July 30, 1879), and, finally, to the writ of habeas
corpus to free them.
Mounted Clippings and Clipping Scrapbooks, compiled in part by Schroeder himself,
relate to Mormon church history and Utah politics, 1854-1899, and were taken from the
Deseret News, Salt Lake
Tribune, Salt Lake Democrat, Salt Lake Herald, and Argus.
The clippings in the scrapbooks occasionally have overlapping edges or are folded over
on themselves thereby obscuring part of the content. They are in a rough chronological
order and are often dated and identified as to source however so a researcher can locate
the original newspaper if the complete text is needed.
In addition to the collections on Mormonism described above, a copy of a letter
allegedly written by Oliver Cowdery, early assistant to Joseph Smith in the translation
of the Book of Mormon and in the Presidency of the church, is in Box 1, Folder 3.
Also includes, photographs relating to Salt Lake City, Utah, and the history of the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1830-1890, consisting of street scenes,
buildings, overall views, family groups, portraits, caricatures, memorials, Native
Americans, stage coaches, wagon trains, and one elaborate composite.
