The Salt Lake Temple is a temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah. At 253,015 square feet (23,505.9 m2), it is the largest LDS temple by floor area. Dedicated in 1893, it is the sixth temple completed by the church, requiring 40 years to complete, and the fourth temple built since the Mormon exodus from Nauvoo, Illinois, in 1846. It is the centerpiece of the 10-acre (4.0 ha) Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah. It took approximately 40 years to build from 1853 to 1893.
1886 Stonecutters[]
Salt Lake Temple Stonemasons, taken Jan 1886 in Salt Lake City.
Front Row / Back Row - Left to Right - TAKEN SALT LAKE CITY. JANY. 1886.
Salt Lake Temple stone cutters:
- Welcome Chapman (1805-1893) - Brigham Young called him to Salt Lake City to cut stone for the Salt Lake Temple, where Chapman often worked with a son at his side. At one point he worked alongside seven of them. Welcome had previously cut stone for the Nauvoo Temple.
- WM. KNOX. B.1815
- JOS. DOVER. B.1823
- James Moyle (1835-1880) - Son of John R Moyle (see below). Mr. Moyle took charge of the builders and stone cutters on the Temple Block in 1875. He kept this position until 1886 when he was made general superintendent of works on the Temple Block. He fulfilled this calling to the entire satisfaction of everyone concerned and was held in the highest esteem by the 100-150 men under his supervision. [1]
- THOS. JONES. B.1821
- WM. MCGREGOR. B.1816
- D.P. THOMAS. B.1851
- PET. GILLESPIE. B. 1822
- JUDE HOWELLS. B. 1860
- JNO. MORGAN. B. 1829
- JOS. OPENSHAW. B. 1857
Notable details of the Stonework at the Salt Lake Temple.
Other Notable Stonecutters[]
- John Rowe Moyle - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org › wiki › John Rowe Moyle (22 February 1808, Wendron, Cornwall, England – 15 January 1889, Alpine, Utah Territory) was a Mormon pioneer and a settler of Alpine, Utah. He was a master stonemason for the Salt Lake Temple, and was the carver of the inscription "Holiness to the Lord" on the temple's east side. Walked 22 miles each week to temple site, even after losing his leg in an accident.
Sunstone Workers[]
Salt Lake Temple Sunstone block.
Mary Ann Chapman Richey gave this account in her personal history about her grandfather Welcome Chapman:
"When they were ready to cut stone for the Salt Lake Temple, grandfather was called to Salt Lake City to cut stone for it. Grandfather Chapman had cut stone for all the other temples and Brigham Young always knew what people could do, and he called all who were needed to cut stone. Grandfather and his oldest son Joseph were stone masons. Father ( Welcome Jr.) and Uncle Hyrum were also stone masons and cut stone for the temple, but not as regular as Grandfather. Grandfather cut all the time the temple was being built. I remember seeing those beautiful stones my grandfather cut, and of course, they were huge. I remember seeing Father, Grandfather and Uncle Joseph cutting those beautiful points around the sunstones. They were so perfect. (There were 50 sunstones, cut to represent the body of the sun, with a serrated edge of 40 points illustrative of the suns rays. These stones are each 4' high and 3 1/2' wide and 10 inches thick.)" One day when Mary Ann took lunches to her father and Grandfather she saw her Grandfather crying. One of the large stones he had nearly completed cutting had cracked and he had to cut another stone to replace it. It was the only time she had ever seen him cry.
See Also[]
- Nauvoo Temple Stone Cutters
- History of the Construction of the Salt Lake Temple - Master Thesis by Wallace A. Raynor - Aug 1961.
- Video: Only a Stonecutter - Elder Holland tells the story of John R. Moyle, a stonemason who worked on the Salt Lake Temple despite the loss of his leg.
- VouTube: Only a Stonecutter - Deseret Video - of John R. Moyle, a stonemason who worked on the Salt Lake Temple despite the loss of his leg.
- YouTube: Only a Stonecutter - of John R. Moyle, a stonemason who worked on the Salt Lake Temple despite the loss of his leg.