Don B. Colton

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Don Byron Colton (September 15, 1876 – August 1, 1952) 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 was 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 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).[1]

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..[2]

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 Easten States Mission of the LDS Church.[3]

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.[4] Colton had been serving in this position since he had taken over from J. Wylie Sessions in 1938.

Colton was interred in Wasatch Lawn Cemetery.

[edit] Sources

  1. ^ Andrew Jenson. Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia, vol. 4, p. 651
  2. ^ Kimball, Spencer W., talk in October 1968 general conference
  3. ^ Conference Report, April 1935 - Elder Don B. Colton
  4. ^ Conferences Report General Conference of the LDS Church, October 1952, p. 4