31st Utah Territorial Legislature

The 31st Utah Territorial Legislature met in 1894. The regular election for the Territorial Council and the House of Representatives was held November 7, 1893.[1]

Session

The legislative session convened on January 8, 1894, in Salt Lake City, and ended on March 12, 1894.[2][3] Unlike previous legislatures that typically met at City Hall, this body convened in the Wasatch building, using remodeled space that had previously served as the federal courthouse.[4]

Territorial Council

Members

Name Party District County
Charles Adams Democratic 10 Iron
Hiram E. Booth Republican[5] 4 Salt Lake
John E. Booth Republican 6 Utah
M. A. Breeden Republican 2 Weber
Alma Eldredge Republican 7 Summit
Alma T. Hague Republican 5 Juab
Charles H. Hart Democratic 1 Cache
Christian N. Lund Democratic 8 Sanpete
John Seaman Democratic 3 Weber
Orange Seely Republican 9 Emery
Edward W. Taylor Republican[5] 4 Salt Lake
Parley L. Williams Democratic 4 Salt Lake

House of Representatives

  • Speaker: Albion B. Emery
  • Republican Party: 16
  • Democratic Party: 8

Members

Name Party District County Notes
Clarence E. Allen Republican[5] 5 Salt Lake
William H. Clark Republican 15 Sevier
Hugh M. Dougall Republican 11 Utah Seated January 18, 1894[6]
Albion B. Emery Republican 10 Summit
Clarence W. Hall Democratic[5] 5 Salt Lake Died December 2, 1893[7]
Abram C. Hatch Republican 14 Wasatch
D. Clark Hubbard Democratic 2 Box Elder
Anthony W. Ivins Democratic 17 Washington
Jacob Johnson Republican 13 Sanpete
Curtis P. Mason Republican[5] 5 Salt Lake
Charles R. McBride Republican 9 Tooele
David McKay Republican 4 Weber
Joseph Monson Democratic 1 Cache
John Moore Democratic 12 Utah
Aquila Nebeker Democratic 1 Rich
Maurice K. Parsons Republican[5] 5 Salt Lake
Simeon G. Pigman Republican[5] 5 Salt Lake
Orlando W. Powers Democratic[5] 5 Salt Lake
Alexander G. Robertson Democratic 11 Utah Unseated January 18, 1894[6]
Septimus W. Sears Republican 8 Salt Lake
Joseph Stanford Republican 3 Weber
David Stoker Democratic 6 Davis
John F. Tolton Democratic 16 Beaver
Charles S. Varian Republican[5] 5 Salt Lake Elected January 4, 1894[8]
Andrew J. Warner Republican 3 Weber
Ira D. Wines Republican 7 Utah

Based on the initial election results, the Republican majority in the House would only have been 14-10. However, the Republicans were able to increase their advantage when Clarence W. Hall, a Liberal who identified with the Democratic Party in national politics, died and was replaced in a special election by Charles S. Varian, a Liberal who identified as a Republican.

Meanwhile, the closest ballot involved two candidates from Springville in the 11th district. As initially certified by the Utah Commission overseeing the election, the result favored Democrat Alexander G. Robertson with 858 votes over Republican Hugh M. Dougall with 856 votes. Dougall protested the outcome because the county court had created a new precinct in Mapleton, which consisted of areas previously in the Springville precinct (in the 11th district) as well as Spanish Fork (in the 12th district).[9] As Mapleton had voted heavily for Robertson (42-15), Dougall sought to have those votes thrown out as being cast in the wrong district, arguing the court lacked authority to redistrict, which could only be done by Congress or the Commission itself. For the purpose of certifying the election, the Commission concluded that it lacked jurisdiction to go behind the results as counted.[10]

When it convened, the House established a committee on elections to revisit the question. The committee sent a special commissioner to investigate, who determined that 25 of the Mapleton ballots had been cast by voters living in the 12th district. Rather than attempt to inquire how those residents had voted individually, the committee deducted votes from each candidate proportionally based on how the Mapleton precinct voted overall, thus deeming the final result to be Dougall 849, Robertson 840.[6]

References

  1. ↑ "The Coming Elections". Salt Lake Herald. August 25, 1893. p. 8. Retrieved March 13, 2026.
  2. ↑ "Legislative Organization". Salt Lake Tribune. January 8, 1894. p. 4. Retrieved March 13, 2026.
  3. ↑ "The Legislature Adjourns". Salt Lake Tribune. March 13, 1894. p. 3. Retrieved March 13, 2026.
  4. ↑ "Thirty-first Session. The Utah Legislature Will Meet Tomorrow Afternoon". Salt Lake Herald. January 7, 1894. p. 8. Retrieved March 13, 2026.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 In its final election, the Liberal Party had a separate slate of candidates only in Salt Lake City (Council district 4 and House district 5), and did not contest the races elsewhere in Utah. Nevertheless, with the exception of Patrick J. Moran's loss to Democrat Parley L. Williams, the Liberal ticket prevailed in a three-way race for each of the Salt Lake seats. Despite this, the Liberal Party chose to dissolve on December 18, 1893, completing Utah's political reorientation along national party lines. Those elected as Liberals are therefore listed here under the national party they would identify with when the legislature convened.
  6. 1 2 3 "The House: The Contest Case". Salt Lake Herald. January 19, 1894. p. 5. Retrieved March 21, 2026.
  7. ↑ "Death of Clarence W. Hall". Salt Lake Tribune. December 3, 1893. p. 8. Retrieved March 14, 2026.
  8. ↑ "A Big Surprise". Salt Lake Herald. January 5, 1894. p. 8. Retrieved March 14, 2026.
  9. ↑ "The Legislative Count". Salt Lake Herald. November 18, 1893. p. 3. Retrieved March 21, 2026.
  10. ↑ "The Commission's Ruling. In the Case of Dougall vs. Robertson". Salt Lake Herald. November 23, 1893. p. 5. Retrieved March 21, 2026.
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