Don B. Colton
Encyclopedia
Don Byron Colton was a U.S. Representative
from Utah
.
Born near Mona
, Juab County
, Utah Territory
, Colton moved with his parents to Uintah County
, Utah Territory in 1879.
He attended the public schools and the Uintah Academy, Vernal, Utah
.
He was graduated from the commercial department of Brigham Young University
, Provo, Utah
, in 1896.
He engaged in teaching in 1898, 1901, and 1902.
He served as member of the Utah House of Representatives
in 1903.
He graduated from the law department of the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor in 1905.
He was admitted to the bar
the same year and commenced practice in Vernal, Utah
.
He also engaged in ranching, sheep raising, and other business enterprises.
Receiver of the United States land office at Vernal 1905–1914.
He served as delegate to the Republican State conventions 1914–1924.
He served as member of the State senate 1915–1917.
He served as delegate to the Republican National Conventions in 1904, 1924, and 1928.
From 1910–1921 Colton served as the president of the Uintah Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).
Colton was elected as a Republican
to the Sixty-seventh
and to the five succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1921 – March 3, 1933).
He served as chairman of the Committee on Elections No. 1 (Sixty-ninth
and Seventieth
Congresses), Committee on Public Lands (Seventieth and Seventy-first
Congresses).
He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1932 to the Seventy-third
Congress. While in Congress Colton served as the Sunday School
teacher for the LDS Church Sunday School in Washington, D.C.
.
Colton resumed the practice of law in Vernal, Utah
.
He was an unsuccessful candidate for United States Senator in 1934.
From 1933 to 1937, Colton served as president
of the Eastern States Mission
of the LDS Church.
He moved to Salt Lake City in 1937 and continued the practice of law.
He also engaged in farming and stock raising.
He was an unsuccessful candidate for Governor in 1940.
Colton died in Salt Lake City, Utah
, August 1, 1952. Immediately prior to this he was serving as the head of the LDS Church mission home in Salt Lake City. Colton had been serving in this position since he had taken over from J. Wyley Sessions
in 1938.
Colton was interred in Wasatch Lawn Cemetery.
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
.
Born near Mona
Mona, Utah
Mona is a city in Juab County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Provo–Orem, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 850 at the 2000 census. At the time this was sufficient under Utah state law for Mona to become a city, which it did at the end of 2000...
, Juab County
Juab County, Utah
Juab County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. As of 2000 the population was 8,238, and by 2005 had been estimated at 9,113. It was named from an Indian word meaning thirsty valley, or possibly only valley. Its county seat and largest city is Nephi.Juab County is part of the...
, Utah Territory
Utah Territory
The Territory of Utah was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 4, 1896, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Utah....
, Colton moved with his parents to Uintah County
Uintah County, Utah
This page deals with the Utah County. For the Wyoming County, see Uinta County, Wyoming.Uintah County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. As of 2000 the population was 25,224 and by 2009 was estimated at 31,536. It was named for the Ute Indians, the tribe that lives in the basin. Its...
, Utah Territory in 1879.
He attended the public schools and the Uintah Academy, Vernal, Utah
Vernal, Utah
Vernal, Uintah County's largest city, is located in eastern Utah near the Colorado State Line, and 175 miles east of Salt Lake City. It is bordered on the north by the Uinta Mountains, one of the few mountains ranges in the world which lie in an east-west rather than the usual north to south...
.
He was graduated from the commercial department of Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
, Provo, Utah
Provo, Utah
Provo is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Utah, located about south of Salt Lake City along the Wasatch Front. Provo is the county seat of Utah County and lies between the cities of Orem to the north and Springville to the south...
, in 1896.
He engaged in teaching in 1898, 1901, and 1902.
He served as member of the Utah House of Representatives
Utah House of Representatives
The Utah House of Representatives is the lower house of the Utah State Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Utah. The House is composed of 75 representatives elected from single member constituent districts. Each district contains an average population of 35,000 people...
in 1903.
He graduated from the law department of the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor in 1905.
He was admitted to the bar
Admission to the bar in the United States
In the United States, admission to the bar is the granting of permission by a particular court system to a lawyer to practice law in that system. Each U.S. state and similar jurisdiction has its own court system and sets its own rules for bar admission , which can lead to different admission...
the same year and commenced practice in Vernal, Utah
Vernal, Utah
Vernal, Uintah County's largest city, is located in eastern Utah near the Colorado State Line, and 175 miles east of Salt Lake City. It is bordered on the north by the Uinta Mountains, one of the few mountains ranges in the world which lie in an east-west rather than the usual north to south...
.
He also engaged in ranching, sheep raising, and other business enterprises.
Receiver of the United States land office at Vernal 1905–1914.
He served as delegate to the Republican State conventions 1914–1924.
He served as member of the State senate 1915–1917.
He served as delegate to the Republican National Conventions in 1904, 1924, and 1928.
From 1910–1921 Colton served as the president of the Uintah Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).
Colton was elected as a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
to the Sixty-seventh
67th United States Congress
The Sixty-seventh United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1921 to March 4, 1923, during the first two years...
and to the five succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1921 – March 3, 1933).
He served as chairman of the Committee on Elections No. 1 (Sixty-ninth
69th United States Congress
The Sixty-ninth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1925 to March 4, 1927, during the third and fourth...
and Seventieth
70th United States Congress
The Seventieth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1927 to March 3, 1929, during the last two years of...
Congresses), Committee on Public Lands (Seventieth and Seventy-first
71st United States Congress
The Seventy-first United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1929 to March 4, 1931, during the first two years...
Congresses).
He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1932 to the Seventy-third
73rd United States Congress
The Seventy-third United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from March 4, 1933 to January 3, 1935, during the first two years...
Congress. While in Congress Colton served as the Sunday School
Sunday School (LDS Church)
Sunday School is an official auxiliary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . All members of the church and any interested nonmembers, age 12 and older, are encouraged to participate in Sunday School.-Purpose:...
teacher for the LDS Church Sunday School in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
.
Colton resumed the practice of law in Vernal, Utah
Vernal, Utah
Vernal, Uintah County's largest city, is located in eastern Utah near the Colorado State Line, and 175 miles east of Salt Lake City. It is bordered on the north by the Uinta Mountains, one of the few mountains ranges in the world which lie in an east-west rather than the usual north to south...
.
He was an unsuccessful candidate for United States Senator in 1934.
From 1933 to 1937, Colton served as president
Mission president
Mission president is a priesthood leadership position in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . A mission president presides over a mission and the missionaries serving in the mission...
of the Eastern States Mission
Mission (LDS Church)
A mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a geographical administrative area to which church missionaries are assigned. Almost all areas of the world are within the boundaries of an LDS Church mission, whether or not Mormon missionaries live or proselytize in the area...
of the LDS Church.
He moved to Salt Lake City in 1937 and continued the practice of law.
He also engaged in farming and stock raising.
He was an unsuccessful candidate for Governor in 1940.
Colton died in Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
, August 1, 1952. Immediately prior to this he was serving as the head of the LDS Church mission home in Salt Lake City. Colton had been serving in this position since he had taken over from J. Wyley Sessions
J. Wyley Sessions
James Wylie Sessions was the first Institute of Religion director in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . He was sent in 1926 by church president Heber J. Grant to head the Institute of Religion in Moscow, Idaho...
in 1938.
Colton was interred in Wasatch Lawn Cemetery.