Vol. XII July-October, 1944 Nos. 3-4
Revised and reprinted, 1950
A HISTORY OF SOUTHERN UTAH
and
ITS NATIONAL PARKS
_By Angus M. Woodbury_[1]
[1]Angus M. Woodbury was born of pioneer parents in St. George, Utah,
July 11, 1886. His early education was obtained in the schools of
his native town and Salt Lake City, and he was graduated from
Brigham Young Academy, Provo, in 1906. Two years later he joined the
U. S. National Forest Service, and in the varied employments of this
work, gradually developed the dominant interest of his life, the
natural history of the West. For a brief season, 1920-21, he tried
stock-breeding on his father’s farm at St. George, but soon returned
to his major interest, pursued further studies at Dixie College, and
was active in the naturalist service of Zion National Park from 1925
to 1933. In 1928 he received his Master’s degree from the University
of Utah, and in 1931 his doctorate from the University of
California. He has been a member of the faculty of the University of
Utah since 1927, and has done much to develop and strengthen its
biological and zoological departments while keeping in close touch
with field work in Southern Utah. He has published numerous
monographs and studies dealing with the biota, fauna and flora of
the West, and has achieved national recognition for the scientific
accuracy of his reportings. His interest in the history of Southern
Utah has always been keen, and in 1931 he published in the _Utah
Historical Quarterly_ (Vol. IV, pp. 35-46) a study entitled “The
Route of Jedediah S. Smith in 1826 from the Great Salt Lake.” This
present work is a summary of data, most of which was accumulated for
use in his work as naturalist in Zion Canyon, but which has been
checked and elaborated since. In January, 1909, Dr. Woodbury married
Grace Atkin, descendant of Charles L. Walker, pioneer St. George wit
and poet. Together they make their home in Salt Lake City, and are
the parents of six children.