John D. Giles
Born: 1 August 1883
Called as First Assistant Superintendent in the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association: 1945
Released: 1948
Died: 23 September 1955
Called as First Assistant Superintendent in the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association: 1945
Released: 1948
Died: 23 September 1955
Biographical Articles
Biographical Encyclopedia, Volume 4
Improvement Era, June 1944, John D. Giles Honored
Improvement Era, October 1948, Service to Youth through the Y.M.M.I.A. - The Retiring Superintendency
Improvement Era, November 1955, John D. Giles - 1883-1955
Improvement Era, June 1944, John D. Giles Honored
Improvement Era, October 1948, Service to Youth through the Y.M.M.I.A. - The Retiring Superintendency
Improvement Era, November 1955, John D. Giles - 1883-1955
Jenson, Andrew. "Giles, John D." Biographical Encyclopedia. Volume 4. pg. 238.
GILES, John D., a member of the General Board of Y. M. M. I. A. since 1928, was born Aug. 1, 1883, a son of Henry E. Giles and Catherine Evans. He studied at the Brigham Young University, and after working in the business office of the Deseret News for five years established an advertising agency, the first in Salt Lake City. He was for fifteen years superintendent of the Y. M. M. I. A. in the Ensign Stake. He helped to establish the fathers and sons outings and the "M" Men's movement. He has devoted the past eighteen years to boy scout work and is chairman of the organization committee of the Salt Lake Boy Scout Council. He is executive secretary of the Utah Pioneer Trails and Landmarks Association and secretary of the Oregon Trail Association. He has photographed scenes along nearly all of the Mormon Pioneer Route from Nauvoo to Salt Lake City, and gathered history for the erection of a large number of monuments erected along historic trails and sites connected with the history of the Church and the development of the Western States. He is the author of a number of magazine articles relating to these subjects.
GILES, John D., a member of the General Board of Y. M. M. I. A. since 1928, was born Aug. 1, 1883, a son of Henry E. Giles and Catherine Evans. He studied at the Brigham Young University, and after working in the business office of the Deseret News for five years established an advertising agency, the first in Salt Lake City. He was for fifteen years superintendent of the Y. M. M. I. A. in the Ensign Stake. He helped to establish the fathers and sons outings and the "M" Men's movement. He has devoted the past eighteen years to boy scout work and is chairman of the organization committee of the Salt Lake Boy Scout Council. He is executive secretary of the Utah Pioneer Trails and Landmarks Association and secretary of the Oregon Trail Association. He has photographed scenes along nearly all of the Mormon Pioneer Route from Nauvoo to Salt Lake City, and gathered history for the erection of a large number of monuments erected along historic trails and sites connected with the history of the Church and the development of the Western States. He is the author of a number of magazine articles relating to these subjects.
"John D. Giles Honored." Improvement Era. June 1944. pg. 370.
JOHN D. GILES Honored
Thirty-year veteran award conferred by the national council of the Boy Scouts of America.
The Thirty-year Veteran Award of Scouting has been conferred on John D. Giles, director of the Bureau of Information at Hill Cumorah, Palmyra, New York. The award was made at a meeting of the Scouters of Ganargua District, Finger Lakes Council, at Palmyra, Wayne County, New York, Tuesday, April 25, 1944, by John W. Tripplett, of the Division of Personnel, of the National Council, Boy Scouts of America.
In a letter to Brother Giles, Dr. Elbert K. Fretwell, chief Scout executive, writing for the Boy Scouts of America, had this to say:
Mr. John D. Giles
R.D. 2, Hill Cumorah
Palmyra, New York
Dear Mr. Giles:
After three decades of scouting in America, we find that there are a number of men who began their service to boyhood, through scouting, in the first few years of its organization.
For thirty years, now, you have invested your time, your thought, your energy and your skill for the benefit of others. I think you will agree that it has been truly a worthwhile investment. With each year you have gained new experience, a broader vision and a better understanding of the character of scouting, and the opportunities for scouting to contribute to the development of the American way of life.
The Boy Scouts of America during the past thirty-three years have been fortunate in securing the support of men who have stayed with scouting over the years. Possibly the greatest single asset of the Boy Scout movement today is the large number of Scout leaders who have not only enthusiasm and energy to devote to scouting, but who have also the benefit of experience and years of service in scouting.
Let me take this opportunity to congratulate you upon having attained this splendid record of service, and may I at this time express the hope the years ahead will be by far the best of your entire scouting experience.
Very sincerely yours.
Boy Scouts of America
Elbert K. Fretwell (signed)
Chief Scout Executive
John D. Giles, who will be remembered by Eta readers for his many years of service to this magazine, and for his service to M.I.A. and to the cause of boys and young men, entered scouting August 8, 1913, only three months after the national Scout program was accepted by the Y.M.M.I.A. He served for four years as district commissioner of Ensign District (En- sign Stake). M.I.A. records show that this district was the first in the church to have a registered Scout troop in every ward in the stake.
He was advanced from district commissioner to district chairman, and, later in 1928, became chairman of the Educational Publicity committee of the Salt Lake Council, and a year later was appointed chairman of the Troop Organization committee. He served in this capacity nearly fifteen years, which is the longest period of service as committee chairman since the organization of the Salt Lake Council. He served on Leadership Training and Advancement committees, and as general chairman, and later as attendance chairman of annual meetings, and also served as chairman of the committee on Distributors of Scout Equipment and other temporary committees.
In 1935 he was awarded the Silver Beaver for "outstanding service to boyhood."
In 1931 Brother Giles was appointed field representative of the Y.M.M.I.A., and assigned to the supervision of Scout, Vanguard, and M Men programs. In 1933, he was appointed chairman of the Vanguard committee and was chairman when that program was merged with the national Explorer program. In 1937 he became field supervisor of the Scout, Explorer, and M Men programs.
In his long years of service to the cause of boyhood, field service in scouting for the church was paralleled by similar service with the Aaronic priesthood and the Aaronic priesthood correlation and extension plans, which have now been succeeded by the Boy Leadership plan.
In 1937 Brother Giles served as chairman of the Utah and Idaho Scout councils which sent six hundred L.D.S. boys to the Boy Scout Jamboree in Washington, D.C., visiting important places in church history en route.
As would be expected by all who know Brother Giles, and as would be expected from the unusual record cited above, when he went to Palmyra, for other purposes and duties, he nevertheless interested himself in boys there, as he always has, wherever he has been, and, in 1943, organized Troop No. 61 at Palmyra, first L.D.S. troop in the Cumorah area, and is now its scoutmaster.
In writing, at our request, of the Ganargua District (named for most prominent stream near Palmyra, Brother Giles has these interesting historical sidelights to give:
Palmyra, New York
April 29, 1944
I cannot imagine a place where I would rather have received such an award than in this historic place. . . . The council office is at Geneva on historic Seneca Lake, where many of the early baptisms took place, including those of Joseph Smith, Sr., his wife, Lucy Mack Smith, and others, on April 6, 1830, a few hours after the church was organized. Parley P. Pratt, grandfather of Sister Giles and great-grandfather of my children, also was baptized here. . . .
The Improvement Era joins the many friends of John D. Giles in extending to him congratulations, and an inexpressible appreciation for the manner in which he has touched for good the lives of a host of boys, many of whom have now taken their places in the world as able and useful men, better in countless ways for having come within the sphere of John D. Giles' influence.
JOHN D. GILES Honored
Thirty-year veteran award conferred by the national council of the Boy Scouts of America.
The Thirty-year Veteran Award of Scouting has been conferred on John D. Giles, director of the Bureau of Information at Hill Cumorah, Palmyra, New York. The award was made at a meeting of the Scouters of Ganargua District, Finger Lakes Council, at Palmyra, Wayne County, New York, Tuesday, April 25, 1944, by John W. Tripplett, of the Division of Personnel, of the National Council, Boy Scouts of America.
In a letter to Brother Giles, Dr. Elbert K. Fretwell, chief Scout executive, writing for the Boy Scouts of America, had this to say:
Mr. John D. Giles
R.D. 2, Hill Cumorah
Palmyra, New York
Dear Mr. Giles:
After three decades of scouting in America, we find that there are a number of men who began their service to boyhood, through scouting, in the first few years of its organization.
For thirty years, now, you have invested your time, your thought, your energy and your skill for the benefit of others. I think you will agree that it has been truly a worthwhile investment. With each year you have gained new experience, a broader vision and a better understanding of the character of scouting, and the opportunities for scouting to contribute to the development of the American way of life.
The Boy Scouts of America during the past thirty-three years have been fortunate in securing the support of men who have stayed with scouting over the years. Possibly the greatest single asset of the Boy Scout movement today is the large number of Scout leaders who have not only enthusiasm and energy to devote to scouting, but who have also the benefit of experience and years of service in scouting.
Let me take this opportunity to congratulate you upon having attained this splendid record of service, and may I at this time express the hope the years ahead will be by far the best of your entire scouting experience.
Very sincerely yours.
Boy Scouts of America
Elbert K. Fretwell (signed)
Chief Scout Executive
John D. Giles, who will be remembered by Eta readers for his many years of service to this magazine, and for his service to M.I.A. and to the cause of boys and young men, entered scouting August 8, 1913, only three months after the national Scout program was accepted by the Y.M.M.I.A. He served for four years as district commissioner of Ensign District (En- sign Stake). M.I.A. records show that this district was the first in the church to have a registered Scout troop in every ward in the stake.
He was advanced from district commissioner to district chairman, and, later in 1928, became chairman of the Educational Publicity committee of the Salt Lake Council, and a year later was appointed chairman of the Troop Organization committee. He served in this capacity nearly fifteen years, which is the longest period of service as committee chairman since the organization of the Salt Lake Council. He served on Leadership Training and Advancement committees, and as general chairman, and later as attendance chairman of annual meetings, and also served as chairman of the committee on Distributors of Scout Equipment and other temporary committees.
In 1935 he was awarded the Silver Beaver for "outstanding service to boyhood."
In 1931 Brother Giles was appointed field representative of the Y.M.M.I.A., and assigned to the supervision of Scout, Vanguard, and M Men programs. In 1933, he was appointed chairman of the Vanguard committee and was chairman when that program was merged with the national Explorer program. In 1937 he became field supervisor of the Scout, Explorer, and M Men programs.
In his long years of service to the cause of boyhood, field service in scouting for the church was paralleled by similar service with the Aaronic priesthood and the Aaronic priesthood correlation and extension plans, which have now been succeeded by the Boy Leadership plan.
In 1937 Brother Giles served as chairman of the Utah and Idaho Scout councils which sent six hundred L.D.S. boys to the Boy Scout Jamboree in Washington, D.C., visiting important places in church history en route.
As would be expected by all who know Brother Giles, and as would be expected from the unusual record cited above, when he went to Palmyra, for other purposes and duties, he nevertheless interested himself in boys there, as he always has, wherever he has been, and, in 1943, organized Troop No. 61 at Palmyra, first L.D.S. troop in the Cumorah area, and is now its scoutmaster.
In writing, at our request, of the Ganargua District (named for most prominent stream near Palmyra, Brother Giles has these interesting historical sidelights to give:
Palmyra, New York
April 29, 1944
I cannot imagine a place where I would rather have received such an award than in this historic place. . . . The council office is at Geneva on historic Seneca Lake, where many of the early baptisms took place, including those of Joseph Smith, Sr., his wife, Lucy Mack Smith, and others, on April 6, 1830, a few hours after the church was organized. Parley P. Pratt, grandfather of Sister Giles and great-grandfather of my children, also was baptized here. . . .
The Improvement Era joins the many friends of John D. Giles in extending to him congratulations, and an inexpressible appreciation for the manner in which he has touched for good the lives of a host of boys, many of whom have now taken their places in the world as able and useful men, better in countless ways for having come within the sphere of John D. Giles' influence.
Josephson, Marba C. "Service to Youth through the Y.M.M.I.A. - The Retiring Superintendency." Improvement Era. October 1948. pg. 623, 663-666.
Service to Youth through the Y.M.M.I.A. The Retiring Superintendency By Marba C. Josephson Associate Editor SUPERINTENDENT GEORGE Q. Morris, newly appointed president of the Eastern States Mission, moves from one position of responsibility to another through his release as general superintendent of the Y.M.M.I.A. to appointment as president of the mission. Throughout his life, Brother Morris has given unstintedly of his time and talents to the Church, and his training and his personal characteristics have made him one of its beloved men. By heritage he enjoys the qualities of the Welsh and the English, for his father was Welsh; and his mother, English. He has a delightfully quiet sense of humor that he inherited from the Welsh, and this strikes home when situations need to be lightened by a deft touch. His gallantry and courtesy are innate and have made it a delightful experience for those who have been privileged to accompany him on conventions and other assignments of the M.I.A. His consideration and interest have been of great import, and he has made what might otherwise be strenuous trips enjoyable excursions. The work of the Mutual has been foremost, of course, but Elder Morris knows the country because of his association with the Utah Pioneer Trails and Landmarks Association of which he has been an executive member for many years. With this knowledge he has shown the interesting spots to the group as they have journeyed to and from assignments. Blessed with an innate dignity. Elder Morris has brought respect to the organization which he heads. Restraint is his keynote. He is always the gentleman, always the nobleman. Work with the hands has ever been respected by Elder Morris, both by inheritance and inclination. This respect for honest labor is inherited from both his parents. His mother, Mary L. Walker Morris, evidenced it throughout her life. One particular occasion persists in memory. She was on one occasion visiting the colonies in Mexico where a daughter lived. Rather than be idle, even though she was supposedly enjoying a vacation, she directed a class for sewing among the young girls, and in order to foster culture, she organized the same group into a singing class. Brother Morris' father, Elias Morris, was a mason and general contractor and in pioneer days established a business which Elder Morris has carried on in the name of Elias Morris & Sons Company. This respect for honest work has carried over into the association which Brother Morris has headed for the past eleven years. He has expressed appreciation for the work done by those who have worked under him—both for the Young Men's and the Young Women's boards. His activities have been of such nature as to equip him for his new appointment. From 1904, when he was called to be superintendent of the Salt Lake Stake Y.M.M.I.A. until the present he has been active in the organization of the Church. Prior to that time he served on a three-year mission to England, where he officiated as president of the London district for over a year. His activities have included such offices as a member of the bishopric, a bishop, a member of the stake presidency, stake board member, general board member, first assistant to the general superintendent of the Y.M. M.I. A., as well as general superintendent. He was called to the position of first assistant in January 1935 and became general superintendent in April 1937 when Elder Albert E. Bowen was called into the Council of the Twelve. In every position that Brother Morris has filled, he has earned the wholehearted cooperation of his co-workers. George Q. Morris was married in 1905 to Emma Ramsey, a most talented musician. They have three daughters, Marian, Helen, and Margery, all of them gifted and lovely. Only one thought has been uppermost in Superintendent Morris mind and that has been to advance the cause of God and be of service to his children upon the earth. The question has never entered his mind as to whether the work would be hard to accomplish, or require endless time and energy. There has been only one question he has ever asked, and that is, "Is it the right thing to do?" If the answer was in the affirmative, the work was done. The amazing factor in all of Elder Morris' Church assignments is that he has been willing to sacrifice so much time from his own work in order to perform his assignments in the Church. He has held positions of trust and responsibility in the community in addition to his professional work. He is president and general manager of Elias Morris and Sons, chairman of the board of directors of Prudential Federal Savings and Loan Association, director of the Travelers' Aid Society, vice president of the Utah Pioneer Trails and Landmarks Association, in addition to other positions such as in the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce. Brother Morris' experience in business has been invaluable in his management of the Mutual and of The Improvement Era. His keen business sense has been the means of keeping the organization and the magazine on the safe side of the ledger. Everyone who has worked with Brother Morris wishes him success and happiness in his new assignment. His friends and associates know that as he has built surely in his previous appointments, so he will build in this new one. As he has helped build lasting monuments in stone, so he is building lasting monuments in the lives of the people with whom he has worked and will work. They will miss his quiet drollery and his incisive judgment, but they will know that his service still continues—for our Eternal Father and his children. Assistants to Elder Morris The way of service in the Church is to act where called until released, and continue to serve in other positions to which one may be called. Brother Giles and Brother Hatch have evidenced this way throughout their lives. They have served in position after position in the Church, and they will continue to serve wherever they may be ap- pointed. Their years of service in the capacity of the superintendency of the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association commenced in January 1946. During this time and all of the years before in other Church positions, they have been valiant in the cause of youth. Elder John D. Giles, first assistant superintendent under Brother George Q. Morris, has been a member of the Y. M. M. I. A. general board since 1929. For ten years of that time he served as field representative for Scouts, Explorers, and M Men. For fifteen years before he was appointed to the general board, he served as superintendent of the Y.M.M.LA. in Ensign Stake. Moreover, he has been associated with the Scout work for all but the first three years of its adoption in the United States. He began his work with the Scouts in 1913. In 1936, Brother Giles received the Silver Beaver award "for outstanding service to boyhood." In 1944, he received the thirty-year veteran award. He also was influential in making the M Men an important department in the M.I.A. Service to young men has long been uppermost in Brother Giles' mind, especially since he served both the Mutual and the Aaronic Priesthood, the latter under the direction of the Presiding Bishopric. In October 1941, he was called to a mission in the Bureau of Information at Hill Cumorah, Palmyra, New York, and he labored there for three years. A member of the American Pioneer Trails Association, he has been exceedingly busy as executive secretary for many years. He has also been executive secretary for the Utah Pioneer Trails and Landmarks Association, satisfying an urgent desire to honor those who made our growth a reality. The crowning work of this position is undoubtedly the monument that now overlooks the valley at the point where the pioneers first saw the land they were to call home. Elder Giles was married to Una Pratt, June 20, 1906. They have been blessed with four children. Parley Giles, Dorothy Giles Topham, Lucille Giles Gardner, and one son who died in his youth. Elder Lorenzo H. Hatch, second assistant superintendent to Elder George Q. Morris and principal of Granite High School in Salt Lake City, has had an active life in Church leadership. He began in the Y. M. M. I. A. with a position as teacher in Franklin Ward, Oneida Stake, Idaho. In this same ward he later became a member of the Sunday School superintendency. A veteran of World War I, he has been concerned with civic questions and has affiliated himself with various civic organizations. In his Church work he served as president of Granite Stake for ten years, being released from that position at the time he became a member of the general superintendency of the Y.M.M.I.A. It is interesting to note that the newly appointed general superintendent, Elbert R. Curtis, served as stake clerk to President Hatch and later became one of his counselors in the stake presidency. Under Brother Hatch's leadership of Granite Stake, it was one of the first stakes to have every quorum qualify for the Aaronic Priesthood Standard Quorum Award. In other ways, too, this stake, under the capable leadership of Elder Hatch, had advocated other programs which have proved effective in youth leadership and have become part of the general youth program for youth leadership. Brother Hatch was married to Ina Porter, June 20, 1917. They have four children: three sons, Wayne L., Hyrum P., and Robert L., and one daughter, Catherine. Those who have worked with these three men know without a shadow of a doubt of their fervent testimony and their earnest desire to act in any capacity to which they may be called under the direction of the priesthood. The blessings and thanks of the membership of the Church as a whole go with Superintendents Morris, Giles, and Hatch in whatever positions they may hold in the Church. The Y.M.M.I.A. General Board With the release of the general superintendency the entire board is released. These board members have served faithfully and well. The gratitude of the Church goes with them into whatever work in the Church to which they may be called. Those released are: Aldon J. Anderson, Richard M. Ball, M. Elmer Christensen, Merrill D. Clayson, J. Spencer Cornwall, Roy M. Darley, Richard L. Evans, Floyed G. Eyre, Dr. Philo T. Farnsworth, Doyle L. Green, Dr. Wayne B. Hales, D. E. Hammond, Dr. George H. Hansen, Dr. Franklin S. Harris, Charles J. Hart, Creed Haymond, Werner Kiepe, Oscar A. Kirkham, Rock M. Kirkham, Axel A. Madsen, Frank W. McGhie, W. LeGrand Maxwell, Mark H. Nichols, Dr. T. Earl Pardoe, Alma H. Pettigrew, Reed H. Richards, W. O. Robinson, Stanley Russon, Verl Scott, Stringam A. Stevens, Dr. L. A. Stevenson, Dr. George Stewart, Clark N. Stohl, Homer C. Warner, T. Frank Williams, Elwood G. Winters. |
GEORGE Q. MORRIS
Newly Appointed President, Eastern States Mission JOHN D. GILES
First Assistant LORENZO H. HATCH
Second Assistant A Message From President Morris
"The opportunity for service in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints does not lie in one organization or one auxiliary alone, but lies in membership in the Church. From membership we may be called to positions of leadership—and whenever that call comes, we grow if we accept it. My experience in the Mutual has been a happy one, largely because of the unusual people with whom I have been privileged to work. It has been a real pleasure to watch the growth of the Mutual program. There are accomplishments yet to be realized, and I am certain that under the direction of the Lord and under the leadership of Superintendent Curtis the organization will continue to progress and achieve. I am likewise happy to go into the mission field, where I hope to further the work of the Lord upon the earth." —George Q. Morris |
Morris, George Q. "John D. Giles - 1883 - 1955." Improvement Era. November 1955. pg. 801, 828.
John D. Giles 1883 - 1955
by George Q. Morris
OF THE COUNCIL OF THE TWELVE
To write a tribute to Elder John D. Giles, my lifelong friend and associate, is difficult indeed. His talents, of which he had many, were always ready to be used for the Church and the building up of the kingdom upon the earth.
John D. Giles was as a well-polished gem in the hand of the Lord. His facets included: friend, inspirer of youth and those who work with youth; student of Church history and authority on- Church geography, the little-explored (until he came) avenue that must accompany historical research; he had labored with the Boy Scouts of America locally and nationally for more than forty years, and had been given the silver beaver and silver antelope, the-; highest awards bestowed by the council and the region; he had labored long in the Mutual Improvement Association of the Church, in his ward, stake, and as a member of the general board, and for several years as assistant general superintendent. He had helped promote the M Men program and pioneered the roadshow activity which has brought so much joy to so many of the members of the Church.
Truly, he had faith in young people and enjoyed being with them, and they returned that faith by following him and his example.
For many years he served as field representative of the Aaronic Priesthood program for the Presiding Bishopric. In 1941 he was called to Palmyra, New York, where he directed the activities of the Bureau of Information at the Hill Cumorah. He interested himself in maintaining pioneer traditions and lore, and he was at the time of his death, and for many years previously, executive secretary of the Utah Pioneer Trails and Landmarks Association. The monuments that he has helped place tell the story of the activity of the Church from the Atlantic to the Pacific. He was a member of the Utah Centennial Commission. He was executive secretary of the "This Is the Place" Monument Commission and as such had much to do with the erection of the magnificent monument which stands on the east bench of Salt Lake City at the end of the old Mormon Trail.
His perseverance, his vision, and his long, arduous, and capable efforts were most important factors in the establishment of the park surrounding the monument embracing all of the area that connects with the mouth of Emigration Canyon, as well as the building of the scenic and historical highway that follows the trail of the Mormon pioneers about thirty miles from Henefer to the Salt Lake Valley.
More recently his was the assignment for preparation and publicity for the dedication of the Mormon Pioneer Memorial Bridge Over the Missouri River near Omaha.
He often told the story of how, as a young man, working for the Deseret News, their business manager, Horace G. Whitney, and a close neighbor of his, had called him to his desk one noontime and asked his assistance in selling subscriptions to The Improvement Era to the members in the Eighteenth Ward. When Brother Giles queried "how to sell," Brother Whitney advised him to first learn the contents of the magazine by reading it. This he did, and literally the rest of John Giles' lifetime—a period approaching a half century — was wrapped up in the Era. He worked with it in the Eighteenth Ward and in the Ensign Stake. As a member of the general board of the YMMIA, he was a member of the committee which, in 1929, saw the combining of The Improvement Era with its sister organ of the YWMIA, The Young Woman's Journal, to make a greater Era.
His appointment as business manager of The Improvement Era was announced September 1, 1944, and he held this position at the time of his death. Working in close association with three presidents of the Church, Presidents Heber J. Grant, George Albert Smith, and David O. McKay, as well as with Elders John A. Widtsoe and Richard L. Evans of the Council of the Twelve, and other editors of the magazine, he has helped guide the destiny of the Era.
The life of John D. Giles was a fulfilment of the Book of Mormon promise: ". . . therefore, after that ye are seventy and two years old ye shall come unto me in my kingdom; and with me ye shall find rest." (3 Nephi 28:3.)
Elder Giles was born August 1, 1883, in Salt Lake City, to Henry E. and Catherine Hughes Evans Giles. He married Una Viola Pratt, a daughter of Parley P. Pratt, Jr., on June 20, 1906, in the Salt Lake Temple. That union was blessed with two daughters and a son: Mrs. Lucile Gardner, Mrs. Dorothy Topham, and Parley P. Giles. They have thirteen grandchildren. Elder Giles passed away on September 23, 1955, following an extended illness. Funeral services were held in the Assembly Hall on Temple Square, September 27. The services were conducted by Bishop Earl L. Maw of the South Eighteenth Ward where Brothers Giles was serving as a ward teacher and as a member of the genealogical committee. Speakers at the funeral included Elder Elbert R. Curtis, general superintendent of the YMMIA, Elder George Q. Morris of the Council of the Twelve, and President J. Reuben Clark, Jr.
John D. Giles 1883 - 1955
by George Q. Morris
OF THE COUNCIL OF THE TWELVE
To write a tribute to Elder John D. Giles, my lifelong friend and associate, is difficult indeed. His talents, of which he had many, were always ready to be used for the Church and the building up of the kingdom upon the earth.
John D. Giles was as a well-polished gem in the hand of the Lord. His facets included: friend, inspirer of youth and those who work with youth; student of Church history and authority on- Church geography, the little-explored (until he came) avenue that must accompany historical research; he had labored with the Boy Scouts of America locally and nationally for more than forty years, and had been given the silver beaver and silver antelope, the-; highest awards bestowed by the council and the region; he had labored long in the Mutual Improvement Association of the Church, in his ward, stake, and as a member of the general board, and for several years as assistant general superintendent. He had helped promote the M Men program and pioneered the roadshow activity which has brought so much joy to so many of the members of the Church.
Truly, he had faith in young people and enjoyed being with them, and they returned that faith by following him and his example.
For many years he served as field representative of the Aaronic Priesthood program for the Presiding Bishopric. In 1941 he was called to Palmyra, New York, where he directed the activities of the Bureau of Information at the Hill Cumorah. He interested himself in maintaining pioneer traditions and lore, and he was at the time of his death, and for many years previously, executive secretary of the Utah Pioneer Trails and Landmarks Association. The monuments that he has helped place tell the story of the activity of the Church from the Atlantic to the Pacific. He was a member of the Utah Centennial Commission. He was executive secretary of the "This Is the Place" Monument Commission and as such had much to do with the erection of the magnificent monument which stands on the east bench of Salt Lake City at the end of the old Mormon Trail.
His perseverance, his vision, and his long, arduous, and capable efforts were most important factors in the establishment of the park surrounding the monument embracing all of the area that connects with the mouth of Emigration Canyon, as well as the building of the scenic and historical highway that follows the trail of the Mormon pioneers about thirty miles from Henefer to the Salt Lake Valley.
More recently his was the assignment for preparation and publicity for the dedication of the Mormon Pioneer Memorial Bridge Over the Missouri River near Omaha.
He often told the story of how, as a young man, working for the Deseret News, their business manager, Horace G. Whitney, and a close neighbor of his, had called him to his desk one noontime and asked his assistance in selling subscriptions to The Improvement Era to the members in the Eighteenth Ward. When Brother Giles queried "how to sell," Brother Whitney advised him to first learn the contents of the magazine by reading it. This he did, and literally the rest of John Giles' lifetime—a period approaching a half century — was wrapped up in the Era. He worked with it in the Eighteenth Ward and in the Ensign Stake. As a member of the general board of the YMMIA, he was a member of the committee which, in 1929, saw the combining of The Improvement Era with its sister organ of the YWMIA, The Young Woman's Journal, to make a greater Era.
His appointment as business manager of The Improvement Era was announced September 1, 1944, and he held this position at the time of his death. Working in close association with three presidents of the Church, Presidents Heber J. Grant, George Albert Smith, and David O. McKay, as well as with Elders John A. Widtsoe and Richard L. Evans of the Council of the Twelve, and other editors of the magazine, he has helped guide the destiny of the Era.
The life of John D. Giles was a fulfilment of the Book of Mormon promise: ". . . therefore, after that ye are seventy and two years old ye shall come unto me in my kingdom; and with me ye shall find rest." (3 Nephi 28:3.)
Elder Giles was born August 1, 1883, in Salt Lake City, to Henry E. and Catherine Hughes Evans Giles. He married Una Viola Pratt, a daughter of Parley P. Pratt, Jr., on June 20, 1906, in the Salt Lake Temple. That union was blessed with two daughters and a son: Mrs. Lucile Gardner, Mrs. Dorothy Topham, and Parley P. Giles. They have thirteen grandchildren. Elder Giles passed away on September 23, 1955, following an extended illness. Funeral services were held in the Assembly Hall on Temple Square, September 27. The services were conducted by Bishop Earl L. Maw of the South Eighteenth Ward where Brothers Giles was serving as a ward teacher and as a member of the genealogical committee. Speakers at the funeral included Elder Elbert R. Curtis, general superintendent of the YMMIA, Elder George Q. Morris of the Council of the Twelve, and President J. Reuben Clark, Jr.